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Local Open Borders Enthusiasts Team up with Latino Race Hustlers and ACLU to make Sacramento City a Sanctuary for illegal aliens.
LETTER OF INVITATION
Dear Friends,
This letter is an invitation for your organization to help pass a Sacramento City Council Ordinance that will prohibit the City from enforcing Federal Immigration law. We are a working group of immigrant rights activists that have developed language on this issue and we seek your support.
This kind of ordinance has been passed in San Francisco and other parts of the country. We believe the Ordinance stands on its own as a community response to the current administrations misguided efforts to emphasize enforcement with little regard for the human rights of immigrants across the country. We believe the campaign for this ordinance will act as a catalyst to bring together activists and organizations together on a positive political project. It won’t be easy. From Lou Dobbs to Rush Limbaugh, reactionary forces are dumbing down the debate around the complex issue of immigration. We need to be discussing in our communities the various ways we can contest their simple law enforcement strategies and reframe the debate. Two years ago the slogan was ”Today we march, tomorrow we vote” Today is here and there are raids, inhumane detention practices, split families and real pain in immigrant communities. The slogan is a good one but it needs to be matched with movement building around core principles. We need to be consciously building street heat to add strength and power to a human rights based legislative agenda. This Ordinance will act as a vehicle to push forward that effort.
Our Working Group will advance this ordinance with your help. But we will need hundreds of people and organizations to support this project. Attached you will find a copy of our proposed language. We ask that your organization vote in support of our campaign at your next meeting. Attached you will find a short Question and Answer document. We are available to come to your next meeting and answer any questions you might have regarding the Ordinance language and campaign.
We hope you will sign the attached form and give us your support. Si se puede!
Dear Friends,
This letter is an invitation for your organization to help pass a Sacramento City Council Ordinance that will prohibit the City from enforcing Federal Immigration law. We are a working group of immigrant rights activists that have developed language on this issue and we seek your support.
This kind of ordinance has been passed in San Francisco and other parts of the country. We believe the Ordinance stands on its own as a community response to the current administrations misguided efforts to emphasize enforcement with little regard for the human rights of immigrants across the country. We believe the campaign for this ordinance will act as a catalyst to bring together activists and organizations together on a positive political project. It won’t be easy. From Lou Dobbs to Rush Limbaugh, reactionary forces are dumbing down the debate around the complex issue of immigration. We need to be discussing in our communities the various ways we can contest their simple law enforcement strategies and reframe the debate. Two years ago the slogan was ”Today we march, tomorrow we vote” Today is here and there are raids, inhumane detention practices, split families and real pain in immigrant communities. The slogan is a good one but it needs to be matched with movement building around core principles. We need to be consciously building street heat to add strength and power to a human rights based legislative agenda. This Ordinance will act as a vehicle to push forward that effort.
Our Working Group will advance this ordinance with your help. But we will need hundreds of people and organizations to support this project. Attached you will find a copy of our proposed language. We ask that your organization vote in support of our campaign at your next meeting. Attached you will find a short Question and Answer document. We are available to come to your next meeting and answer any questions you might have regarding the Ordinance language and campaign.
We hope you will sign the attached form and give us your support. Si se puede!
FINAL DRAFT
“SECURITY AND SAFETY ORDINANCE”
WHEREAS: The City of Sacramento has been built and enriched by generations of immigrants from all over the world, and
RECALLING THAT: Sacramento has a proud history as a Sanctuary city, as declared by City Council Resolution 85-973, and
BECAUSE: Over the past two decades, immigration policies have become more restrictive and punitive, closing off avenues to obtain legal permanent residency previously available to immigrants, systematically denying the opportunity past generations of immigrants enjoyed to become permanent residents or citizens of this country, and
BECAUSE: Over the past two decades, the U.S.-Mexico border has been militarized, closed off to people while simultaneously open to trade and capital, and
WHEREAS: These “free trade” economic policies (NAFTA, CAFTA, SSP) create forced migration and increase poverty by decreasing opportunities for people to support their families and make a dignified living, and
BECAUSE: Our unjust immigration policies are designed to break up families, causing many adverse emotional and psychological effects as family members are kept apart for many years, and
WHEREAS: Undocumented immigrants are especially vulnerable to workplace abuses and housing discrimination, and
BECAUSE: Current U.S. immigration policy does not reflect our standards of what is just, humane and moral, and
AFFIRMING THAT: The City of Sacramento directly benefits from the work of both undocumented and documented immigrants in our economy and those of their countries of origin, and
AFFIRMING FURTHER THAT: The State of California, the country’s largest and wealthiest economic force, with a gross state product that ranks it among the world’s top seven economies, directly benefits from undocumented and documented immigrants who fuel our economy and those of their countries of origin, and
BECAUSE: Immigrants have been critical to defining California, the most diverse and multicultural state in the nation, they will continue to enrich our state’s future social, political and cultural landscape
BE IT RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento reaffirm its commitment as a Sanctuary City, as declared by City Council Resolution Number 85-973, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the use of city funds for immigration enforcement is prohibited; meaning that no department, agency, commission, officer or employee of the City of Sacramento shall use any City funds or resources to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration law or to gather or disseminate information regarding the immigration status of individuals living in the City, unless such assistance is required by Federal or State statute, regulation or court judgment. The prohibition set forth in this Chapter shall include, but shall not be limited to:
(a) Assisting or cooperating, in one’s official capacity, with any Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation, detention, or arrest procedures, public or clandestine, relating to alleged violations of the civil provisions of the federal immigration law.
(b) Assisting or cooperating, in one’s official capacity, with any investigation, surveillance or gathering of information conducted by foreign governments, except those related to an alleged violation of City, State or Federal criminal laws.
(c) Requesting information about, or disseminating information regarding, the immigration status of any individual, or conditioning the provision by the City of Sacrament of services or benefits, except as required by Federal or State statute or regulation, City of Sacramento public assistance criteria, or court judgment.
(d) Stopping, questioning, arresting or detaining any individual in one’s official capacity as an officer, employee or law enforcement agent of the City of Sacramento because of the individual’s national origin or immigration status. In addition, in deciding whether to report an individual to the ICE under the circumstances described in this Section, any officer, employee or law enforcement agent of the City of Sacramento shall not discriminate among individuals on the basis of their ability to speak English or perceived or actual national origin.
(e) Nothing herein shall be construed or implemented so as to discourage any person, regardless of immigration status, from reporting criminal activity to law enforcement agencies.
BE IT RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento calls upon the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its Bureau of Customs and Immigration Enforcement to end all enforcement operations, including worksite and neighborhood immigration raids, and suspend all detentions and deportations, and calls upon our Congressional delegation to hold hearings to learn about the impacts of immigration enforcement and services on our communities, until the U.S. Congress comes to an agreement for socially just immigration reform that protects and upholds the rights of our communities so that the debate can be carried out in good faith, rather than against a backdrop of fear, repression and intimidation, and
BE IT RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento also calls upon Congress and the incoming Obama Administration to redirect funds from immigration enforcement into services, address the backlog in applications for visas, issue sufficient visas so that people can immigrate legally with full rights and protections, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento rejects the use of the term “illegal” to describe human beings and the use of the term “aliens” to describe immigrants and hereby adopts the term “undocumented” when referring to those who, as yet, do not have a federally-recognized resident status and “immigrant” to refer to those who have migrated to the U.S. from another country. All residents of the City of Sacramento, regardless of their immigration and citizenship status, have inalienable rights and dignity.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento, through this instrument, affirms and is committed to upholding the basic human rights and dignity of every human being.
“SECURITY AND SAFETY ORDINANCE”
WHEREAS: The City of Sacramento has been built and enriched by generations of immigrants from all over the world, and
RECALLING THAT: Sacramento has a proud history as a Sanctuary city, as declared by City Council Resolution 85-973, and
BECAUSE: Over the past two decades, immigration policies have become more restrictive and punitive, closing off avenues to obtain legal permanent residency previously available to immigrants, systematically denying the opportunity past generations of immigrants enjoyed to become permanent residents or citizens of this country, and
BECAUSE: Over the past two decades, the U.S.-Mexico border has been militarized, closed off to people while simultaneously open to trade and capital, and
WHEREAS: These “free trade” economic policies (NAFTA, CAFTA, SSP) create forced migration and increase poverty by decreasing opportunities for people to support their families and make a dignified living, and
BECAUSE: Our unjust immigration policies are designed to break up families, causing many adverse emotional and psychological effects as family members are kept apart for many years, and
WHEREAS: Undocumented immigrants are especially vulnerable to workplace abuses and housing discrimination, and
BECAUSE: Current U.S. immigration policy does not reflect our standards of what is just, humane and moral, and
AFFIRMING THAT: The City of Sacramento directly benefits from the work of both undocumented and documented immigrants in our economy and those of their countries of origin, and
AFFIRMING FURTHER THAT: The State of California, the country’s largest and wealthiest economic force, with a gross state product that ranks it among the world’s top seven economies, directly benefits from undocumented and documented immigrants who fuel our economy and those of their countries of origin, and
BECAUSE: Immigrants have been critical to defining California, the most diverse and multicultural state in the nation, they will continue to enrich our state’s future social, political and cultural landscape
BE IT RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento reaffirm its commitment as a Sanctuary City, as declared by City Council Resolution Number 85-973, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the use of city funds for immigration enforcement is prohibited; meaning that no department, agency, commission, officer or employee of the City of Sacramento shall use any City funds or resources to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration law or to gather or disseminate information regarding the immigration status of individuals living in the City, unless such assistance is required by Federal or State statute, regulation or court judgment. The prohibition set forth in this Chapter shall include, but shall not be limited to:
(a) Assisting or cooperating, in one’s official capacity, with any Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation, detention, or arrest procedures, public or clandestine, relating to alleged violations of the civil provisions of the federal immigration law.
(b) Assisting or cooperating, in one’s official capacity, with any investigation, surveillance or gathering of information conducted by foreign governments, except those related to an alleged violation of City, State or Federal criminal laws.
(c) Requesting information about, or disseminating information regarding, the immigration status of any individual, or conditioning the provision by the City of Sacrament of services or benefits, except as required by Federal or State statute or regulation, City of Sacramento public assistance criteria, or court judgment.
(d) Stopping, questioning, arresting or detaining any individual in one’s official capacity as an officer, employee or law enforcement agent of the City of Sacramento because of the individual’s national origin or immigration status. In addition, in deciding whether to report an individual to the ICE under the circumstances described in this Section, any officer, employee or law enforcement agent of the City of Sacramento shall not discriminate among individuals on the basis of their ability to speak English or perceived or actual national origin.
(e) Nothing herein shall be construed or implemented so as to discourage any person, regardless of immigration status, from reporting criminal activity to law enforcement agencies.
BE IT RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento calls upon the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its Bureau of Customs and Immigration Enforcement to end all enforcement operations, including worksite and neighborhood immigration raids, and suspend all detentions and deportations, and calls upon our Congressional delegation to hold hearings to learn about the impacts of immigration enforcement and services on our communities, until the U.S. Congress comes to an agreement for socially just immigration reform that protects and upholds the rights of our communities so that the debate can be carried out in good faith, rather than against a backdrop of fear, repression and intimidation, and
BE IT RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento also calls upon Congress and the incoming Obama Administration to redirect funds from immigration enforcement into services, address the backlog in applications for visas, issue sufficient visas so that people can immigrate legally with full rights and protections, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento rejects the use of the term “illegal” to describe human beings and the use of the term “aliens” to describe immigrants and hereby adopts the term “undocumented” when referring to those who, as yet, do not have a federally-recognized resident status and “immigrant” to refer to those who have migrated to the U.S. from another country. All residents of the City of Sacramento, regardless of their immigration and citizenship status, have inalienable rights and dignity.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the City of Sacramento, through this instrument, affirms and is committed to upholding the basic human rights and dignity of every human being.