November 2009 commenced the participation of Washington, D.C. in the Secure Communities program. Secure Communities is a program that allows state and local police to check the fingerprints of an individual they are booking into a jail against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration databases. If there is a "hit" in an immigration database, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is automatically notified, even if the person has not been convicted
of any criminal act.

Materials on Secure Communities Program:

1)  What is Secure Communities?
2)  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Information
3)  D.C. to Help U.S. Identify Illegal Immigrants in Jail - Washington Post Article

This is an issue that DVRP is very concerned about as it will create even more barriers for our communities to ask for help or contact the police. DVRP has made efforts to stop this program and would like to invite interested individuals to come on board.

To get involve, please contact Pabitra at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   for future events and meetings.

Together We Can

Highlights:

-Program Updates

-Cruel World by A Fearless Advocate

-Outreach Interns' Story

-Annual Dinner Review

-Executive Director Position

Dear DVRP Supporter,

DVRP has undergone a number of transitions recently, including the departure of our executive director of seven years, and the turnover of two staff positions that were filled last year. Despite the staffing changes, DVRP has managed to continue providing its excellent services to ensure that culturally and linguistically responsive services for domestic violence are within reach for the local Asian/Pacific Islander communities.

Thanks to careful management, DVRP has been in a sound position to navigate the compounded effects of our internal transitions and the impact of the current financial crisis. The latter unexpected development has reverberated throughout the nonprofit community, as you are probably aware. However, due to long-standing practices of remaining extremely frugal with our spending, in the past year we still managed to weather:

• The loss of a $70,000 government grant, what had been our largest single source of revenue (representing one-third of our annual budget);

Download our June, 2009 DVRP Newsletter: Together, We Can

Highlights:

• DVRP Organizational Updates
• Advocates Story by Monica Thammarath
• Call Out for Community Leaders Institute!
• Advocacy for the Office of Asian / Pacific-Islander Affairs
• Immigrants Rights Roundup
• DVRP Terrific Trio!