Human Rights in the U.S. - Santa Clara University

Impunity for Police Killings

Participated in a thematic hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, along with ACLU, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and others, to denounce human rights violations stemming from the lack of accountability and impunity for police killings in the United States. Provided a written statement in support of the thematic hearing.
Created a social media video campaign that (1) summarizes the hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and (2) highlights the case of Luis Góngora Pat, who was killed by San Francisco police officers in April 2016. The Clinic is currently working on a third video to highlight how impunity for police killings disproportionately affects vulnerable populations.
Submitted a letter to CA legislators in support of AB 931 (ACLU Gonzaga Brief), a law that would place limits on the use of deadly force by the police.

Interviewed California State Senator Bill Monning (D) on ACR 129 and drafted a template to be used by state and local governments to comply with reporting requirements under international human rights treaties ratified by the U.S.

Partnered with the Office of Women’s Policy of the County of Santa Clara to conduct a study of homelessness with a specific gender and human rights perspective. The goals of the study are primarily to determine the main causes of homelessness for women in the county and to evaluate how the county can better address the particular needs of this population.

Provided technical assistance and legal expertise to the County of Santa Clara in drafting an ordinance to implement locally the principles of the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and develop a methodology that would institutionalize a gender lens in County budgeting and decision-making processes. Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen the county’s ability to respond to women’s needs, particularly homeless women and victims of violence against women.
In 2023, the IHRC received commendations from the South Bay congressional delegation and the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women for our work to support Santa Clara County in adopting a permanent ordinance to implement CEDAW.

Provided technical assistance and legal expertise to the City Council of Mountain View, CA, to draft and pass a resolution declaring Mountain View as a Human Rights City (Mountain View as a Human Rights City), as well as adopt a pilot program to conduct a human rights impact assessment of city projects.

Submitted a stakeholder report (UN Human Rights Council Stakeholder Report) to the UN Human Rights Council detailing the gaps in the U.S. response to human trafficking. The report and advocacy in the UN Universal Periodic Review process is just one part of the expansive work the Santa Clara Law community and the IHRC has done to support the fight to eradicate human trafficking. The stakeholder report provided recommendations based on the clinic’s research and findings on human trafficking in the Bay Area.
Submitted comments on the Federal Strategic Action Plan on Services for Victims of Human Trafficking, to influence the Obama administration’s approach to this issue.
Submitted a “shadow report” to the UN Human Rights Committee regarding human trafficking obligations of the U.S. under the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. On March 27, 2014, the Committee released its Concluding Observations, or recommendations to the United States, in which the Committee incorporated all of the points the Clinic raised during our visit to Geneva.