The PLAN: Public Legal Aid Network

01/04/2025

A recommended initiative for those who would like to donate to provide Relief directly to people and not via Junta in Burma/Myanmar, in the wake of Earthquake devastations /

Please feel free to share this with others especially those who are not from Burma as the organization has 501(c)(3) official registration in the US. For those in Burma, there are other payments systems such as NUGpay etc. According to doctors/medical personnel who volunteer with this initiative, this organization, HDFM, was founded by medical doctors and it is directly dispatching funds to those on the ground in the frontline of humanitarian relief who are working as the first responders on site inside Burma.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/myanmar-earthquake-relief-fundraising

It is important that we get funds to the people but not through the Junta. (For donation please ensure it goes directly to the people but not via the Junta). Hope the UN and other agencies do the likewise via local Civil Societies or community based organizations and not simply dump Aids and Funds with Junta which is still conducting air strikes on communities devastated by earthquakes and tremors.

24/02/2025

What constitutes the Rule Of Law? Stand with Maine!
Governor Mills’ Statement on Notice of Investigation From U.S. Department of Education

February 21, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Governor Janet Mills released the following statement today in response to the U.S. Department of Education notifying the Maine Department of Education that it has been directed to initiate an investigation into the State of Maine over alleged Title IX violations:

“I have spent my career – as a District Attorney, as Attorney General, and now as Governor – standing up for the rule of law in Maine and America. To me, that is fundamentally what is at stake here: the rule of law in our country.

“No President – Republican or Democrat – can withhold Federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will. It is a violation of our Constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold.

“Maine may be one of the first states to undergo an investigation by his Administration, but we won’t be the last. Today, the President of the United States has targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next, and what will he do? Will it be you? Will it be because of your race or your religion? Will it be because you look different or think differently? Where does it end? In America, the President is neither a King nor a dictator, as much as this one tries to act like it – and it is the rule of law that prevents him from being so.

“I imagine that the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined. My Administration will begin work with the Attorney General to defend the interests of Maine people in the court of law. But do not be misled: this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation. I believe he cannot.”

Source: http://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-statement-notice-investigation-us-department-education-2025-02-21

Governor Mills' Statement on President's Threat to Withhold Education Funding from Maine

February 21, 2025
Washington D.C. -- Governor Janet Mills issued the following statement today regarding the President's threat to withhold Federal education funding from Maine:

"If the President attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine school children of the benefit of Federal funding, my Administration and the Attorney General will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides. The State of Maine will not be intimidated by the President's threats."
Source: http://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-statement-presidents-threat-withhold-education-funding-maine-2025-02-21

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17/02/2025

14/02/2025

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 13, temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order cutting funding for foreign assistance programs administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of State in response to a lawsuit by a coalition of organizations including the American Bar Association.

The ABA on Feb. 11 filed a lawsuit with seven co-plaintiffs, a broad array of USAID and U.S. Department of State grantees and contractors, challenging the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign assistance funding.

The Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) allows foreign assistance programs, including those of the ABA, to continue while the lawsuit proceeds.

https://ambar.org/cp6dhb8s

14/02/2025

20250214 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: Restore State and USAID support for the Burmese people

Urge U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to restore State Department and USAID support for the Burmese people

For the decades, the U.S. has been a leader in supporting the Burmese people. It is crucial that the U.S. Administration restore vital programs for both humanitarian relief as well as promotion of democracy and human rights in Burma (Myanmar).

The Trump Administration has frozen foreign aid programs and destroyed the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). But Secretary Rubio can choose to unfreeze the money and restore these programs that are vital to the Burmese people's struggle for their livelihoods, for their human rights, and for democracy in their country.

Please sign - and share - this petition to Secretary Rubio today.
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/secretary-rubio-restore-state-and-usaid-support-for-the-burmese-people/

Image source: Screen-grab of the original page

06/02/2025

9 Safety Measures for Asylum Seekers

Last updated on February 3, 2025

The U.S. government has announced immigration raids. We do not know exactly how this will impact asylum seekers. But here are some steps that asylum seekers can take to protect themselves and their families in the United States.

1. You do not have to open your door to immigration officials unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.

Immigration officials are supposed to have a judicial warrant – a document signed by a judge – before they can enter your home. ICE forms signed by ICE officers do NOT give them permission to enter your home without your consent. You do not need to open the door unless the official has a judicial warrant, and you can ask to see a warrant before you open the door.Here are examples (https://x.com/NILC/status/1149755946081538049 the first image is a judicial warrant, and the second image is an ICE form).

2. When you leave home, carry a United States ID if you have one.

If you have a U.S. identification card such as a driver’s license or state ID, carry it with you when you leave home. You can choose to show your ID if you are stopped outside of your home by the police or immigration officials. If you do not have a U.S. driver’s license or state ID, you can choose to show your work permit if you have one.

3. If you have been in the U.S. for more than 2 years, carry documents that prove this.

The government has said that immigrants who have been in the United States for less than 2 years have fewer immigration protections. So the goal is to show that you arrived in the U.S. more than 2 years ago and have lived in the U.S. since then. A single document can sometimes show a long period of time, for example a cell phone bill that shows multiple months.

For example, you can carry copies of the following documents that show your name, U.S. address, and date:

internet, phone, electricity, or other bills
medical or school records
bank or credit card statements
lease agreements or property deeds
car, home, or health insurance
other mail or documents
4. Be careful when driving.

If you are careful when you are driving, you can lower your risk of being stopped by the police. Carry your U.S. driver’s license if you have one and get car insurance as required by law in all states. Drive carefully and obey the traffic laws.

5. Protect your private information online.

It is a good idea to limit the amount of your personal information on the internet. If you have a social media account that is “public,” consider making it private. Consider removing information about your immigration status and your location. If you no longer use the account, consider deleting it.

6. Ask people you trust for help in case of an emergency and memorize their phone numbers.

Memorize the phone number of at least one person you trust. That way, you can still call them even if you lose access to your phone. Ask them if they can help in case of an emergency, for example help picking children up from school or taking children to doctors’ appointments.

Another organization has created a sample emergency plan (https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a74cf7ef14aa1564b6a098b/t/6797ce43eb206854a2661196/1738001990173/Emergency+Plan_ENGLISH.pdf) that you can fill out, if that is helpful.

7. Save your important documents in a safe place.

Make sure that your important documents and information are stored in a safe place. For example, this could include your passport, immigration documents, financial information, medical information, account logins, and important phone numbers. Tell someone else that you trust where they can find this information in an emergency.

8. If you get arrested by immigration officials and are afraid to return to your country of origin, state that clearly.

If you are arrested by immigration officials and you are afraid of returning to your country of origin, try to say that you are afraid to return every chance you have. If you have already applied for asylum, say that you have an asylum application pending.

Do not sign any documents you cannot read or understand on your own. Ask to speak to a lawyer, then call your lawyer if you have one, or call a loved one who can help. Find legal help here: https://help.asylumadvocacy.org/find-help/

9. Sign up for ASAP membership to get urgent updates.

Every month, the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) provides all members with free legal updates by email or text message. ASAP membership is completely free, and is designed for asylum seekers in the United States.

Note: This information from the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) is not a substitute for advice from a lawyer.

Source: https://help.asylumadvocacy.org/safety-measures/

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This information is shared for Education/Information purposes only in the interest of the public. All rights are reserved by original sources.

02/02/2025

29/01/2025

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” by Martin Luther King Jr. Source: 1963 Letter from a Birmingham Jail

FULL PRESS CONFERENCE: Governor JB Pritzker speaks on Donald Trump's freeze on federal programs

Re:

Governor JB Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul speak on the effects of Donald Trump's freeze to essential federal...

26/01/2025

Individuals can contribute to
the World Health Organization
https://donate.who.foundation/?utm_source=donate_button&utm_medium=who&utm_campaign=global_english

14/01/2025

27/11/2024

/ :ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Myanmar military leader over Rohingya campaign
By Stephanie van den Berg and Shoon Naing
November 27, 20246:39 AM CSTUpdated 2 hours ago

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/international-criminal-court-prosecutor-seeks-arrest-warrant-myanmar-military-2024-11-27/