Advocates geared up for oral arguments in US v Texas, the Supreme Court challenge to President Obama’s immigration executive actions, slated for oral arguments Monday.  Rallies were scheduled in 20 cities across the country, as well as on the court steps.  MALDEF is representing three women—undocumented mothers with children who are US citizens—who will address the Court as “intervenors” in the case, seeking to underscore the human stakes at issue alongside the questions of executive authority and standing to be discussed.  America’s Voice was quoted in an article on the prospects for immigration reform and what might happen in the event that the high court rules against the administration, and put out a packet of articles and resources to help shape understanding of the case. America’s Voice also commissioned polling from Latino Decisions, to be released next week, which suggests that Latino voters oppose Republican efforts to block access to relief under DAPA and DACA by substantial margins.

The showdown between Apple and the FBI over access to an iPhone linked to one of the San Bernardino shooters  may be over, but their clash over security and privacy continues in several unrelated cases. The fight comes to Capitol Hill next Tuesday, when representatives of both organizations are scheduled to testify before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee. The Electronic Frontier Foundation distributed a FAQ fact sheet to help address some of the outstanding issues. 

Muslim leaders and interfaith groups joined forces to launch the Shoulder to Shoulder campaign, a coalition of 32 organizations seeking to persuade the national Democratic and Republican party committees “to formally commit to protecting religious minorities on the campaign trail,” according to an account published by the Religion News Service.  Muslim Advocates, South Asian Americans Leading Together, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Color of Change and the Center for New Community were among the grantees who signed a letter urging Coca-Cola to refrain from making contributions to any party conventions “that engage in bigoted, xenophobic and racist rhetoric that encourages violence.”

The house propaganda organ for ISIS urged its followers to target Muslims with Western values, calling out Hillary Clinton adviser Huma Abedin and Minnesota congressman Keith Ellison. The FBI indicated it was aware of the threat.

Advocates were tracking reports of episodes of Islamophobia around the country. Federal and state law enforcement investigated claims that a rash of recent burglaries and hate speech was directed at Muslim students in Pocatello, Idaho.  A petition drive was launched to take down a billboard reading “Islam Bloody Islam” in St. Augustine Beach, Florida. In Northern Virginia, several high school debate teams said they would boycott state championships to be held at Liberty University, in protest of anti-Muslim remarks made by the school’s president, Jerry Falwell Jr.

Among other grantee activities:

--NALEO projected that close to a million new Latino voters in New York will cast ballots in the general election this fall.