This letter is in support of a resolution by the Long Beach City Council for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and in support of President Obama’s Executive Action, known as the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA). Also, this letter is to express our support of the amendment of the language used to define Comprehensive Immigration Reform in the City of Long Beach’s Federal Legislative Agenda, which both will be introduced by Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez in the coming weeks.

We stand in solidarity with undocumented workers and families, and we support any action that could have an impact on the DACA and DAPA programs moving forward.  Our congregations and organizations remain energized by the promise of these deferred action programs that will help 5 million undocumented people living in the United States of America. This action will provide people the opportunity to participate in the communities they call home—without fear. The City of Long Beach taking a stance on this issue supports undocumented and mixed-status families in knowing that their city stands behind them. A supportive stance on immigration not only sends a strong message from our city to the courts currently debating this issue but also to our nation as a whole.

As we appreciate the efforts of President Obama, we acknowledge that a Comprehensive Immigration Reform that includes all immigrants is an urgent matter. The resolution, together with the amendment of the Federal Legislative Agenda, will mark an increase in the level of advocacy our city has been doing in regards to immigration. We need to send this strong message to the United States Congress to work for a Comprehensive Immigration Reform to keep millions of families united and build more trust in our communities.

We urge your support for the immigrant families living in Long Beach by voting in favor of the resolution and by voting in support of the amendment to the Federal Legislative Agenda.

Sincerely,

 

 

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Proposed Amendment

The Federal Legislative Agenda, as it reads at this moment, states:

M. Citizenship

"Support legislation that provides qualifying undocumented youth with a conditional path to citizenship requiring completion of a college degree or military service."

The proposal is for it to be amended as:

M. Citizenship

"Supports a humane and comprehensive immigration reform legislation with the following principles: provides an attainable and affordable earned pathway to full citizenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States within a timely manner; family unity as a cornerstone of our immigration system; provides due process and labor protections; allows access to key essential services such as health care; without the militarization of the border and criminalization of undocumented immigrants; and local governments should not be mandated to enforce federal immigration laws, particularly when resources necessary to enforce local laws are already stretched."

 

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Proposed Resolution

RESOLUTION OF THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTING CERTAIN EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON IMMIGRATION TAKEN BY PRESIDENT OBAMA ON NOVEMBER 20, 2014

WHEREAS, the current immigration system in the United States is broken and not meeting the needs of a 21st century economy.  The current system breaks apart families, is not conducive to family reunification and ignores the economic contribution of the immigrant worker; and

WHEREAS, since 2008 more than 2 million immigrants have been deported and one in ten children face the deportation of a parent; and

WHEREAS, it is not practical or humane to deport the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living within our borders; and

WHEREAS, California has the largest population of immigrants, both documented and undocumented where one in  ten workers is an undocumented immigrant, and immigrants are a vibrant, productive, and vital part of the state's growing economy, holding jobs in key industries such as agriculture, science, technology, service, health care and manufacturing; and

WHEREAS, the City of Long Beach recognizes that an immigration reform must protect the rights of all families to stay together, regardless of immigration status, family structure, sexual orientation, gender identity, and to include same-sex couples, and provide sufficient family-based channels for migration in the future; and

WHEREAS, Los Angeles County is home to nearly 900,000 undocumented immigrants, the highest number of undocumented individuals in California; and

WHEREAS, the City of Long Beach is the second most diverse city in the United States with immigrants and refugees from many parts of the world who work, own homes, operate businesses and contribute to the economic, social, and cultural well-being of the City; and

WHEREAS, a pathway to citizenship should not be conditioned upon shortsighted border enforcement strategies and the criminalization of immigrants; and

WHEREAS, the President of the United States took Executive Action to provide the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), it is estimated that more than 1.1 million of Californians are eligible for one form of executive action; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County has passed a motion supporting the Executive Action issued by the President of the United States; and

WHEREAS,  Estimates by UCLA’s North American Integration and Development Center indicate that L.A. County will see an additional $1.1 billion in tax revenues and the creation of an additional 38,500 jobs from the Executive Action initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the consequence of unbalanced immigration enforcement have caused fear and trauma in immigrant and refugee communities and have increased civil and human rights violations, family separation and immigrant deaths; an

WHEREAS, the city of Long Beach and local law enforcement must seek to restore trust between immigrant and refugee communities by reducing racial profiling and increasing transparency and accountability of the involvement of federal immigration authorities in local law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, the Long Beach City Council acknowledges that civil and human rights are deeply rooted in the fabric of democratically principled societies, and must be instilled in all elements of our enforcement apparatus to ensure every individual’s dignity and humanity is upheld, recognized and respected; and

WHEREAS, the City of Long Beach passed a resolution in 2010 in support of the federal DREAM Act (and as part of the 2015 Federal Legislative Platform), and strongly believes immigrants strengthen the community economically and culturally, and that it welcomes their contributions to society.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Long Beach City Council does hereby support the administration’s deferred action programs known as the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), and will work towards its implementation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Long Beach City Council urges Congress and the President to reaffirm that addressing comprehensive immigration reform is an urgent federal responsibility, and must occur in a timely manner that is guided by our nation's values of due process and civil and human rights.