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DocuSign Envelope ID: 04B86247-F06F-4E7F-9552-58F632CFC0AC
RESOLUTION NO. 2018-146
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CHULA VISTA OPPOSING POLICIES WHICH SEPARATE
IMMIGRANT CHILDREN FROM THEIR FAMILIES,
SUPPORTING ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION OF
IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, AND CALLING ON THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT 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
WHEREAS, more than 2,000 minors were separated from their families at the US-
Mexico border, and an unknown number of minors remain separated from their families or
guardians despite a court order requiring the federal government to reunite them with their
families; and
WHEREAS, we acknowledge concerning matters of
immigration and immigrants, which has included, in part: the forced relocations of Native
American Peoples; ; the rejection of Jewish refugees who were refused
entry to the U.S. during WWII and later killed in Nazi Concentration Camps; and the
establishment of Japanese internment camps during WWII; 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
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
DocuSign Envelope ID: 04B86247-F06F-4E7F-9552-58F632CFC0AC
Resolution No. 2018-146
Page No. 2
WHEREAS, the U.S. State in Persons Report
concludes:
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.
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 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, 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.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 04B86247-F06F-4E7F-9552-58F632CFC0AC
Resolution No. 2018-146
Page No. 3
Presented by
Mary Casillas Salas, Mayor Patricia Aguilar, City Councilmember
Approved as to form by
Glen R. Googins, City Attorney
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Chula Vista,
California, this 17th day of July 2018 by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers: Aguilar, Padilla, and Casillas Salas
NAYS: Councilmembers: Diaz
ABSENT: Councilmembers: None
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers: McCann
Mary Casillas Salas, Mayor
ATTEST:
Kerry K. Bigelow, MMC, City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO )
CITY OF CHULA VISTA )
I, Kerry K. Bigelow, City Clerk of Chula Vista, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing
Resolution No. 2018-146 was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council at a
regular meeting of the Chula Vista City Council held on the 17th day of July 2018.
Executed this 17thday of July 2018.
Kerry K. Bigelow, MMC, City Clerk