Welcoming Abre' Conner as the Law Foundation's Health Directing Attorney

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley is pleased to welcome its new Directing Attorney of Health, Abre’ Conner. As Directing Attorney, Abre’ will lead the organization’s litigation and advocacy regarding health equity and the social determinants of health that impact historically excluded communities across Silicon Valley. Abre’ sits on the Law Foundation’s race, equity, and inclusion steering committee and leads work regarding jail conditions in Santa Clara County.  Prior to joining the Law Foundation,  Abre’ was a staff attorney with the ACLU Foundation of Northern California, where she advocated for the civil rights and liberties of Central Valley and Northern California residents. She led their statewide data collection campaign within Nor Cal’s racial and economic justice program regarding COVID-19 related public health data collection and accountability. 

Previously, Abre’ worked at the Center on Race, Poverty, and the Environment, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, and on Capitol Hill. She was also an associate in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel in 2012.

Abre’ has received numerous awards and significant recognition for her work as a fierce advocate and lawyer. She was named a top 40 under 40 Nation’s Best Advocate by the National Bar Association and has appeared in the New York Times’ The Daily, American Bar Association Journal, and Cosmopolitan Magazine.

She is the founder of Together Restoring Economic Empowerment and liaison for the Standing Committee on Publication for the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness board member, and Northern California Social Action Coordinator for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. She also serves as the elected Assembly Clerk for the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. This year, she will ascend to be Assembly Speaker, the chief policy officer for the Division.

Abre’ will lead a team of more than 20 attorneys, advocates, and staff. The Law Foundation’s Health Program provides free legal advice and representation to Santa Clara County residents who identify as having a mental health or physical disability. The program focuses on economic rights (such as public benefits, reasonable accommodations, and disability insurance) and patients’ rights, representing individuals in psychiatric facilities at over 4,500 due process and capacity hearings annually to ensure their rights and dignity are respected.

Law Foundation's Statement on Presidential Election

Alison Brunner, CEO of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, issued the following statement in response to the United States presidential election:

"Like many Americans, when I cast my ballot, I felt an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. Not about how I understood our community’s values of equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all, but more about the fragility of our democracy at this moment in history.

Millions of Americans voted for the ideals of the country and community in which they want to live. A community that values every person’s contribution. A community that embodies love and acceptance. A community that supports one another when times are tough.

We condemn the hatred, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination against people with disabilities that has permeated our country, especially during the last four years through the Trump Administration. We urgently join our community partners and fellow community members demanding that all votes be counted.

As we face the adversity of an uncertain future, our obligation is to focus on what we know is right for our community. We know that democracy is critical. And it must be protected."

November 4, 2020 - Public Charge Update

Despite ongoing litigation challenging the legality of the new public charge regulation, implemented by the Department of Homeland Security, the new public charge regulation went into effect on February 24, 2020.

While the regulation only impacts a very small group of immigrants, it has had a devastating effect on immigrant communities nationwide. Many immigrants, most of whom are not subject to the regulation, have foregone access to crucial welfare benefits for themselves and their family members.

Immigrants have abstained from applying, or have terminated, their federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Plan, Cal Fresh, and Medicaid/Medi-Cal benefits, largely out of fear. This is especially alarming, given the current nationwide Covid-19 pandemic. Although the government has stated that all persons, regardless of immigration status, can seek testing, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19 without fearing immigration consequences due to public charge, many immigrants are still afraid of utilizing public health services.

As litigation continues, the Northern District of Illinois issued a decision on November 2, 2020 rejecting the new Public Charge regulation, finding that the regulation was illegal. That meant that, as of November 2, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) could not apply the new regulation anywhere in the United States.

However, this victory was brief. On November 4, 2020, on appeal, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the decision of the Northern District of Illinois, while the litigation proceeded on its merits. This means that, once again, the Department of Homeland Security’s public charge rule can be implemented while litigation continues.

Because the status of the rule is in constant flux and because many immigrant communities are unaware of whether the rule impacts them, or to what extent it impacts them, we encourage any concerned persons to contact the Law Foundation to discuss any questions or concerns about the rule and its implications.

Questions and concerns may be directed to the Law Foundation’s Health program at (408) 280-2420.

Related: Immigrant Legal Resource Center - Public Charge