HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018/07/17 - Item 13 - Written Communications - BakerRESOLUTION NO. 2018-
REVISED
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA
VISTA CALLING ON THE U.S. GOVERNMENT OPPOSING POLICIES
WHICH SEPARATE, AND SUPPORTING NON-CRIMINAL
PROCESSING OF, IMMIGRANT FAMILIES; TO IMMEDIATELY
REUNITE FAMILIES SEPARATED AT THE BORDER
WHEREAS, the U.S. government recently announced it would stop separating
families at the US-Mexico border; and ended an immigration enforcement policy
that resulted in the separation of
WHEREAS, more than 2,000 minors were separated from their families at the US-
Mexico border, and an unknown number of minors still remain separated from
their families or guardians despite a court order requiring the federal government
to reunite them with their families; and
WHEREAS, family separation in our region occurs not only when individuals are
arriving at the border, but is an every day occurrence when federal immigration
officials detain and deport our community members; and
WHEREAS, we acknowledge our country’s history of disgraceful and inhumane
immigration laws and policies including: the declaration of some humans as slaves
who were regarded as inherently “less than” others in our Constitution; the forced
relocations and decimation of Native American Peoples and cultures; the mass
deportation, labeled “Mexican Repatriation” of Mexican-Americans, most of
whom were US citizens, which arguably meets modern legal definitions of ethnic
cleansing; the rejection of Jewish refugees who were refused entry to the U.S.
during WWII and later killed in Nazi Concentration Camps; and the internment of
Japanese-American families which caused irreparable harm to families and
children, many from our South Bay community; and
WHEREAS, recently many of our community members and leaders have lifted
their voices in righteous moral opposition to the separation of families and the
detention of thousands of children, and are calling for their release from detention
and declaring that family detention is not the solution to family separation; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chula Vista is a community that values humanity, and
believes that all human beings have inalienable rights, regardless of their country
of origin; and
Written Communications - Item 13
Margaret Baker and South Bay People Power
Submitted 7/16/2018
Resolution No. 2018- Page No. 2
WHEREAS, the City of Chula Vista has a rich cultural heritage including
contributions from immigrants around the world; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chula Vista is a member of the Welcoming America
Network and is applying to become a Certified Welcoming City; and
WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2017 the
population of the City of Chula Vista is estimated to be 31% foreign-born; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. State Department’s “Trafficking in Persons Report 2018”
concludes:
“Removal of a child from the family should only be considered as a temporary, last
resort. Studies have found that both private and government-run residential
institutions for children, or places such as orphanages and psychiatric wards that do
not offer a family-based setting, cannot replicate the emotional companionship and
attention found in family environments that are prerequisites to healthy cognitive
development"; and
WHEREAS, the United Nations has called for an immediate halt to the practice of
separating families entering the United States, claiming that the practice violates
their rights as well as international law; and
WHEREAS, a policy that forcibly separates immigrant families fuels the climate
of fear experienced by many immigrants and refugees, causing them to avoid
reporting crime to law enforcement agencies, thus making it more difficult to solve
crimes; and
WHEREAS, separating children from families, especially when the family is
merely invoking their right to seek asylum in the U.S., is inconsistent with the
values of the city of Chula Vista; and
WHEREAS, the Chula Vista City Council believes it has an obligation to take a
stand against government actions that it believes are immoral and inhumane; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chula Vista Human Relations Commission has asked the
City Council to consider taking actions to oppose policies resulting in the
separation of immigrant children from their families, to support non-criminal
processing of immigrant families, and support actions or policies that expedite
reunification;
Written Communications - Item 13
Margaret Baker and South Bay People Power
Submitted 7/16/2018
Resolution No. 2018- Page No. 3
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of
Chula Vista does as follows:
1. Opposes policies resulting in separation of immigrant children from their
families and the detention of immigrant families.
2. Supports the use of alternatives to detention for non-criminal processing of
immigrant families, and supports actions or policies that expedite reunification
while allowing families to proceed through the legal court system.
3. Calls on the United States government to immediately reunite families separated
at the U.S. border with Mexico, especially in cases where the family is exercising
its right to apply for asylum, or in cases when the only offense committed is
crossing the border illegally.
4. Directs the Mayor to forward this resolution to U.S. Representatives Susan
Davis and Juan Vargas, U.S. Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, House
Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Attorney
General Jeff Sessions, and President Donald Trump, members of the San Diego
County Board of Supervisors, and the mayors and city managers of the cities
within San Diego County.
Presented by:
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Mary Casillas Salas, Mayor Patricia Aguilar, City Councilmember
Approved as to form:
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Glen R. Googins, City Attorney
Written Communications - Item 13
Margaret Baker and South Bay People Power
Submitted 7/16/2018