OK…below is the complete text of the resolution approved last night (11/26/07) by the City of Hartford Court of Common Council. I’ve bolded what I feel is the crux of the resolution. This one looks to me like it puts the responsibility in the hands of the police department.
This is only step numero uno. What do y’all think? How can this be better?
Urban Compass has this covered here.
WHEREAS, The federal government of the United States has not put forth an integrated, holistic immigration policy; and
WHEREAS, Large numbers of undocumented residents live in the City of Hartford; and
WHEREAS, Many undocumented residents have resided here for years, have children born in Hartford, work one or more jobs in the City, and contribute to the economy and rich cultural life of the City, and
WHEREAS, The Hartford Police Department has assisted the federal government’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices and officers in identifying and detaining undocumented Hartford residents; and
WHEREAS, During a recent region wide search for the perpetrator of a serious crime, a large number of our citizens, unassociated with the crime, were tentatively identified as undocumented residents and arrested, and
WHEREAS, This action is disruptive for the families of these residents, resulting of separation of parents from children, loss of employment and housing, and the cause of great fear in immigrant communities; and therefore be it
RESOLVED That the Court of Common Council goes on record as favoring a comprehensive, holistic, integrated federal immigration policy that will tighten our borders, provide an opportunity for workers to come to this country with appropriate visas, and create a pathway for presently undocumented workers who wish to become citizens to do so, and let it further be
RESOLVED, That the Mayor assist the Chief of the Hartford Police Department in developing policies that do not hinder the police from properly carrying out their duties in identifying criminal elements and assuring the public safety but to avoid becoming involved in immigration issues or asking the immigration status of individuals detained for other reasons.
[...] of the resolution as passed, with thanks to Luis [...]
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The resolution is a good step in the right direction, but suffers from what I like to call Humphrey-Hawkins Syndrome (see below). That is to say, it doesn’t actually require anyone to do any of the good things for which it provides within any specific time period.
The benefit of the resolution may be that, combined with active political pressure from the people, it points to the direction that the City needs to go. But there is still a need for a policy, whether it is created by executive order or by another resolution.
[The joke...or my painful attempt at one...is that in 1978 the U.S. Congress passed a law referred to as the Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act. It states, among other things, that it is a goal of the U.S. government to strive for full employment, and that the feds can create employment opportunities when the private sector does not do enough to help achieve full employment. But it doesn't require the feds to do this, just says that they can. Well of course they can . . . but if they can and choose not to that doesn't do you much good, now, does it?]
avoid becoming involved in immigration issues or asking the immigration status of individuals detained for other reasons….?
hmmm
How those this resolve anything?
maybe the wording is too much for me, someone who has never been intrested in politics and hope it is not too late. My questions may be dumb but …. I hope to learn more so here goes …..
Is this “resolution”supposed to stops immigrants from coming here striving for a better life? Do we as human beings ok immigration? and if we do then why is there immigration? resolove that
Grace, your questions aren’t dumb but you’ve just entered the conversation in the middle. To back up, here’s the issue:
In the last couple of years the federal agency ICE, that enforces immigration laws, has detained tens of thousands of people around the country who are immigrants and who are undocumented. Most often, ICE does this by conducting raids in urban communities like the recent raid in Parkville. Their usual methods are that they go to an apartment building or some other location where they believe undocumented immigrants are likely to be, usually with a warrant or an order of deportation for one or more individuals. ICE agents then proceed to detain as many other undocumented people as they can find in the vicinity. They call these “collateral detentions.”
ICE prefers to conduct these raids where they have plenty of support from the local police and the local city administration. They also like it if local police make their jobs easier by routinely asking people about their immigration status, if they break the law or even if they are just witnesses in an investigation who have done nothing wrong.
Danbury is an example of a city where there is open and active collaboration between the city and ICE. New Haven has gone a different route, and the police there have been ordered not to ask people about their immigration status. Many of us believe that this is a better policy. We feel that regardless of someone’s immigration status they should not have to feel afraid of the local police. We also feel that our local communities should not be using our tax dollars to enforce federal policies with which we disagree. And we feel that legitimate public safety functions do not require finding out if someone is an immigrant or what their immigration status may be.
The Hartford resolution is the first step that the city has taken toward a real policy on dealing with immigration issues and ICE. The logical follow up would be an executive order or another resolution (like the one in New Haven) directing the police to keep out of immigration enforcement and not to make inquiries about peoples’ immigration status.
[...] matter of a comprehensive city policy in Hartford regarding immigrant status is still pending, but in New Haven, there is a degree of certain controversy over the city’s new municipal ID [...]