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Immigrant Rights Commission

Meeting Information



Full Commission

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Immigrant Rights Commission Minutes of Meeting on February 9, 2004

A meeting of the Immigrant Rights Commission (IRC) was held on Monday, February 9, 2004 at City Hall, Hearing room 416.

I. Roll Call:

Members Present            The meeting was called to order on 5:10 p.m., Commissioners, Bondoc, Casillas, Gonzalez, Haile, Huie, Lau, Nguyen, Ow, Ribas, Zheng were present.  Casillas arrived at 5:12 & Bondoc arrived at 5:15.

Members Absent            Commissioner Atay, Tran were absent.

Others Present            Dang Pham, Executive Director & Winny Loi, Commission Secretary

II.       Approval of minutes for January 12, 2004:Commissioner Bondoc moved to approve the minutes, which was 2nd by Commissioner Haile.  The Commission unanimously adopted the minutes.

III.      Presentation by Molly Stump City Attorney’s Office:  The Immigrant Rights Commission is created by the Administrative codes as a body that has responsibilities that are important & of advisory nature.  The Commissions role is to work on immigrant rights issues.  The city has staff the immigrant right functions with two employees who are in place of the Department of Administrative Services. 

Commissioner Huie would like to set up an Adhoc committee to address the issue of the staff evaluation.  Ms. Stump asked the Commission to put this item on the agenda for next months meeting. 

V.      Immigration Deportation-Cuevas family:

Dale Cuevas spoke to the Commission regarding his family status of being deported by the Bureau of Immigration & Customs Enforcement.  He has been living in the country for the past 19 years.  He has been going to school to get an education & also he has been paying taxes for the past 8 years.  He asked if the Commission could support his family so they can stay here in America. 

Juan Francisco & Brian Caccacho, close friends of Dale, came to the Commission to ask to support him so that the Cuevas family can stay in America.  

Robin Rodriguez from the Critical Filipino Studies Collective Group came to the Commission to support the Cuevas family.  She asked if the Commission could adopt a resolution to advise the Mayor & the Board of Supervisors to support the Cuevas family. 

Renee Pasqual is the vice chair of the National Federation Filipino American Association.  He asked if the Commission could pass resolution supporting the stay of the Cuevas family. 

Dominic & Donna Cuevas asked the Commission to please help their family so they can stay here in America. 

Nelson is a good friend of the Cuevas family.  He asked if the Commission would support the Cuevas family so they can stay here in the United States.  

Joren Lyons , staff attorney for the Asian Law Caucus, asked if the Commission call upon Senator Feinstein and ask for her support. 

Commissioner Gonzales has written up a resolution that he would like the Commission to endorse.  The resolution strongly urges the Mayor & the Board of Supervisors (BOS) to ask Senator Dianne Feinstein & Representative Pete Stark to respond immediately to the Cuevas family to request for immigration assistance.  The two resolved at the end, The Immigrant Rights Commission strongly urges the Mayor & the BOS to immediately request Senator Feinstein & Representative Pete Stark to secure a voluntary departure deferral from the US Department of Homeland Security.  And be it further resolved that the Immigrant Rights Commission immediately request Senator Feinstein to act favorable on legislation legalizing their stay as she has done so in a similar case last year. 

The Commission needs to notice the resolution as an item as an action item for next Commission meeting.  The Commission will meet on Friday, Feb. 6th at 8 a.m. in Room 421. 

V.       Preserve Affordable Housing-Jose Morales: Mr. Morales is a low-income senior who does not want to be evicted. He asks for the Commission support on denying the permit appeal at 572 San Jose Avenue.

  1.   Yvonne was not present at the time; Commissioner Lau asked if the Commission would like to support Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum to Hold Having Our Say –an Educational forum on the Health Platform for Decision 2004.  On Friday, April 2, 2004, community organizers, medical professional, health advocates, students and other key decision makers will come together to discuss and debate an Asian Pacific American health policy platform that should guide future federal policies on API health.  Commissioner Haile moved to support this Event, which was seconded by Commission Ow.  Commissioner Bondoc volunteered to donate two hundred dollars.  Commissioner Ow suggested that we ask MOCD (Mayor’s Office of Community Development) to see if they would donate funds to support this event, before Commissioner Bondoc donates to this event.

VII.      Director Report:  

                  1. Status of RFP: Mr. Pham has met with Director Joe Caruso of Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, Robert Ortega, Latino Community Liaison & William Lee the City Administrator’s, to talk about the issue of the Day Labor Program (DLP). Mr. Pham & Mr. Ortega went to Volunteers of America in Oakland to gather more information.  Mr. Pham & Ms. Loi also met with two owners on Cesar Chavez.  Due to the fact that laborers hanging out in the storefront waiting for work, Mr. Rodriguez & Mr. Gavem has lost lots of business.  The labor’s drink alcohol, do drugs, urine & defecate in front of the store or in the garage.  The owners have to clean their streets everyday.  They also specified that the freeway off ramp where the labors hang out is very dangerous, & many accident’s have happen.  They suggested finding a bigger building with restroom stalls & a place where employers can pick up these laborers would be safer for the community.  Mr. Pham will also continue to meet with other owners that work on Cesar Chavez.

2. The 2nd Summit on Immigrant Rights: Mr. Pham also talked about the next Summit for the Immigrant Rights Commission.  The public has been asking about when we will have our 2nd Summit.  Currently funding is a problem, so we need to see if we can find some sort of funding before we can move forward.

3. Neighborhood Meeting: Next months Neighborhood meeting will be held at the Women’s Building on March 8, 2004, Monday at 6-8 p.m.

  1.   Commissioner Huie, Zheng & Ow are planning to meet with Laguna Hospital to address their concerns of bilingual services.
  2.         Program & Access Committee Report:  Commissioners Tran, Casillas & Bondoc spoke with Buddy Choy with the Housing Authority.  They have made a few recommendations & have sent a letter to Greg Fortner, Director of Housing Authority regarding their concerns. 
  3. Policy & Legislation Committee Report: none.

    Adjournment:            The Commission meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m.