20,000 immigrants have had no sanctuary from the flames, with some sleeping on beaches in order to avoid federal agents at shelters. This comes as far right Media Outlets like breitbart are falsely reporting that an undocumented immigrant was arrested in connection to the fires. Police say there is no indication the man had anything to do with the wildfires. We will speak with the deputy county lawyer of Sonoma County and the head of the community center. Then as Global Temperatures continues to rise, we will look at the link between fires and Climate Change with dr. Max moritz, Fire Research scientist based at uc santa barbara. And well host roundtable activists on next steps after a summer of extreme weather around the world. What the Movement Needs to do is be strong and unified and fight back on all of these decisions and appointments. And we can grow our movement. So many people were concerned about the election of donald trump are concerned about what it means for this issue that is going to affect generations that have yet to come. So we are seeing many more people who want to get involved. Amy all that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. We are broadcasting from Northern California. Both former president s obama and george w. Bush criticized President Trump on thursday, slamming trumps divisive, nativist and hateful rhetoric. Neither of the former president s named trump directly, but both their speeches were clearly aimed at the current president. This is president obama speaking in richmond, virginia, while campaigning for democratic gubernatorial candidate ralph northam. Pres. Obama instead of our politics reflecting our values, were politics infecting our communities. Instead of looking for waste to Work Together ways to Work Together and get things done and a practical way, we have folks who are deliberately trying to make folks angry, to demonize people who have different ideas. To get the base all riled up because it provides a shortterm tactical advantage. Amy that was former president barack obama. This is former president George W Bush also denouncing President Trump while speaking at a Bush Institute event in new york. Pres. Bush to treat seems emboldened bigotry seems emboldened. Our policy seems more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and outright fabrication. Asual cruelty at times, vacancy might be s pulling support are stronger than those binding us together. We have forgotten the dynamism that immigration has always brought to america. Amy the New York Times reports it is unprecedented in modern u. S. History for two former president s to speak out so forcefully against the current sitting president. President trump is planning to depart for a 12day trip to asia in early november amid rising tensions between the u. S. And north korea. Trump is slated to visit china, vietnam, japan, the philippines, and south korea. White house officials are divided over whether trump should visit the Demilitarized Zone between north and south korea during the trip, with concerns that a visit could further exacerbate the threat of nuclear war. In the philippines, he is slated to meet with philippine president rodrigo duterte, who is presiding over a bloody socalled war on drugs that has left thousands of people dead. In california, the states insurance commissioner says the unprecedented wildfires have caused over 1 billion in insured losses. The wildfires were the deadliest since recordkeeping began, killing at least 42 people, destroying thousands of homes and businesses, and scorching more than 200,000 acres roughly the size of new york city. As of thursday, more than 20,000 people are still displaced in Sonoma County. Calfire is still investigating the cause of the fires. Residents in santa rosa have sued the pacific gas and electric company, claiming the companys failure to maintain its power lines sparked the blazes. The night the fires began, there were multiple reports of downed power lines and exploding electrical transformers. Meanwhile, Sonoma County sheriff has refuted claims being spread by farrightwing news outlets, including Breitbart News, that a that an undocumented men arrested for arson on sunday may have sparked the blazes. Sheriff giordano said theres a story out there hes the arsonist for these fires. That is not the case. There is no indication he is related to these fires at all. Well have more on the Deadly Wildfires after headlines. On puerto rico, about three million residents still have no electricity from the power grid, and more than 1 Million People still have no clean Drinking Water now one month after Hurricane Maria hit puerto rico as a category 4 storm. The official death toll now stands at 48. At least 113 more people are still missing. Across the island, residents are reporting suffering from eye infections and gastrointestinal diseases as a result of exposure to contaminated water. On thursday, President Trump said his administration deserves a 10 out of 10 for its response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis on puerto rico. In california, the Los Angeles PoliceDepartment Says its investigating disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein for Sexual Assault. The new york Police Department and Scotland Yard are also investigating multiple reports of Sexual Assault by weinstein. More than 40 women, including some of hollywoods biggest stars, have now come forward with allegations of rape, Sexual Assault or sexl harassment against weinstein, who was once one of the most powerful men in hollywood. One of his closest collaborators, prominent movie director quentin tarantino, has now come forward to admit he knew for decades about weinsteins sexual harassment, but didnt take action because he wanted to continue making films with weinstein. Tarantino told the New York Times i knew enough to do more than i did. If i had done the work i should have done then, i would have had to not work with him. The u. S. Army is again facing scrutiny over Sexual Assault and harassment after the Washington Post reported that a number of the troops and Army Prosecutors tasked with preventing Sexual Assault have themselves been charged with rape in recent months. In september, Army Prosecutor scott hockenberry, who is responsible for investigating Sexual Assault in the military, was charged with raping a woman twice, hitting her in the face, and pressing a knife against her neck. Earlier this year, another soldier certified by the army as a Sexual Assault prevention officer was convicted in a military court of repeatedly raping a 12yearold girl. The u. S. Army told the Washington Post that over the last year it has launched Sexual Assault investigations against eight other soldiers or civilians tasked with deterring or investigating Sexual Assault inside the army. In spain, the Spanish Government says it is convening an emergency Cabinet Meeting saturday to trigger article 155 of the constitution, which will allow spain to suspend catalonias autonomy and seize control of the region. The move comes after catalonia voted to secede from spain in a referendum spain has called illegal. Article 155 has never been used before in spains modern democratic history. This is Spanish Government spokesperson inigo mendez de vigo. The president of the government has called a special Cabinet Meeting for next saturday that will activate the senate in order to protect the general interest of spaniards. Among them, the citizens of catalonia. All citizens of catalonia. And to restore Constitutional Order in the autonomous region. Amy in colombia, afrocolombian Community LeaderJose Jair Cortes has been assassinated in the Southern Region of narino. He was murdered tuesday in a rural area where, on october 5, at least seven coca farmers were killed during clashes with police at a protest over the governments eradication of coca crops. The u. N. Assistant secretarygeneral for human rights has condemned the killing of human rights and land defenders in colombia, saying the Armed Conflict with the farc may be over, but the countrys incredibly brave human rights defenders continue to be threatened and killed at an alarming rate. In argentina, thousands of people marched to the plaza de mayo in the capital buenos aires on thursday demanding justice and answers in the case of a indigenous activist. On thursday, a body was found in the river close to the site Santiago Maldonado disappeared on august 1 during a protest against the eviction of Indigenous People from lands claimed by the Italian Clothing Company benetton. It is not yet known if the body is maldonados. Witnesses say Argentine Security forces beat and arrested a person around the time of maldonados disappearance. The case has stoked painful memories of the military dictatorship of 1976 to 1983, when u. S. Backed Security Forces tortured activists and disappeared an estimated 30,000 people. This is nora cortina of the mothers of the plaza de mayo. If president wasnt interested in human rights ri is president of all now. He has to govern for all argentinians and argentinians need to know that human rights are part of the government and arpartf the state. This is what we are, that they respect human rights. Amy in north dakota, a judge has sentenced two water protectors to jail time after they were convicted on misdemeanor charges over an october 2016 protest as Standing Rock sioux against the Dakota Access pipeline. Alexander simon were sentenced to serve 18 days and joe for obstruction of a government function, while 64yearold mary redway was sentenced to six days and joe for disorderly conduct. They were imposed by judge Thomas Merrick will stop despite the fact the prosecution had not recommended the two serve jail time. Sara lafleurvetteras acquitted on misdemeanor charges stemming from her reporting on the protest on october 22. She was filming for the guardian at the time of her arrest. There are still hundreds of unresolved criminal cases related to the monthlong resistance at Standing Rock. Three water protectors are currently imprisoned while awaiting trial. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. We are broadcasting from the Community Media center of marin in san rafael, california. Today is Community Media day, which celebrates Community Media centers like this one around the country. Here in california, catastrophic wildfires have killed at least 42 people and left thousands of homes and businesses in ruins. The fires are still burning across multiple counties. We are in marin, close to Sonoma County, which some say has taken the brunt of the destruction, and is home to about 20,000 undocumented immigrants whove had little sanctuary from the fires. Last week, immigration and customs enforcement, or ice, announced it would suspend noncriminal enforcement at shelters and Evacuation Centers here. But fear of deportation led some undocumented residents to set up camps on the beach, or sleep in their cars, churches or other popup shelters in order to avoid federal agents. Some evacuees also face challenges returning to their homes because of police checkpoints. Investigating the cause of the fire. Residents have sued Pacific Gas Electric company claiming their failure to maintain their power lines sparked the blazes. The night the fires began, the were multiple reports of downed power lines and exploding electrical transformers. This comes as rightwing Media Outlets like breitbart falsely reported that an undocumented immigrant was arrested in connection with starting the fire. Police say they did arrest 29yearold jesus fabian gonzalez, a homeless man who had started a fire to keep warm. Deputies extinguished the small fire before any firefighters arrived. This was after the fires had begun. But on tuesday Sonoma County sheriff rob giordano said there is no indication that gonzalez had anything to do with these fires and it appears highly unlikely. On wednesday, ices acting director thomas homan accused Sonoma County of being a noncooperative jurisdiction that has left their community vulnerable to dangerous individuals and preventable crimes. The Sonoma County sheriff issued a scathing response, calling ices statements inaccurate, inflammatory, and damaging and said ice attacked the Sheriffs Office in the midst of the largest Natural Disaster this county has ever experienced. I hope to end this senseless public confrontation with these facts so that i may focus on the fire recovery. Meanwhile, the fires have also contributed to the portable housing crisis, leaving thousands homeless in neighborhoods of california where rental prices were already skyhigh before the blazes. For more, we are joined by two guests who work closely with the immigrant community here. Juan hernandez is the executive director of the la luz center in sonoma. And alegria de la cruz is chief deputy county counselor of Sonoma County, which is one of the Main Service Providers for the large undocumented population. We welcome you both to democracy now alegria de la cruz, you are the chief deputy county counselor of Sonoma County. But also you have been appointed to communicate with the spanishspeaking population here. We run an Infrastructure Group of about 11 lawyers that serve the countys departments i do important things like parks, water, roads, etc. I have also been responsible for leading the countys efforts, coordinator with regard to Immigration Service division, as well as fundraising for the Legal Service increasing pacitti throughout the county. Amy talk about what has just taken place. This attack it is reminiscent of puerto rico in the midst of the catastrophe, President Trump attacking the san juan mayor, who usually saw a television with water up to her chest holding a bullhorn trying to evacuate people safely. He attacked her. Now you have the head of ice attacking Sonoma County and the sheriff who is trying to deal the fires. It calls into question of Public Safety issues that are raised by local governments in the face of such increased efforts in terms of Immigration Enforcement. Training ago, we were immigrant communities on how to protect themselves from Immigration Enforcement and warning people to make sure before they open the doors to somebody in uniform, that they saw a sign judicial warrant. 10 or 11 days later, were telling people to come in because they are safe. The confusion and conflict in their emotional state, especially in light of the , iseme Natural Disaster very difficult for the community to kind of switch so quickly. Tens ofre seeing is thousands of people not coming in to receive services to which they are entitled to, and continuing to seek service outside of the institutions that are designed to serve them. Amy where did immigrants go . Undocumented . A lot have gone to the coast. They go to the beach. Amy to the ocean . Yes. A lot has to do it it was cleaner air. They wanted to get out to cleaner air. I think one of the key things people need to understand is communicatio