Full Commission
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Immigrant Rights Commission Meeting
City Hall - Room 370
September 8, 2008
Minutes
Commissioner Jamal Dajani (Chair) convened the meeting at 5:35 p.m.
I. Roll Call
Members Present: Jamal Dajani (Chair), Gilberto Alexander, Elahe Enssani, Jay Gonzalez, Vera Haile, Solomon Jones, Greg Chew, Angus McCarthy, Toye Moses, Alan Mok and Sam Ng.
Members Absent: Felix Fuentes (excused) and Chris Punongbayan (excused)
II. Presentation
Dr. Matthew Spitzer, President of the Board of the Doctors Without Borders in theUS thanked the Commission for allowing him to talk about the upcoming exhibition “Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City”in San Francisco.
The Doctors Without Borders was founded in 1971 and awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1999. This organization is an international independent medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to the people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters, and exclusion from health care in more than 70 countries. The organization’s decision to intervene in any country or crisis is based solely on an independent assessment of people’s needs – not on political, economic, or religious interests. The Doctors Without Borders does not take sides, or intervene according to the demands of governments or warring parties. The organization’s staff raises concerns of their patients with governments, the United Nations, other international bodies, the general public, and the media.
The very first exhibition was launched in France in 1995. “A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City” has appeared in more than a dozen countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, and continues to tour internationally. The exhibition first appeared in the United States in New York, New Jersey and California in 2000. Another US tour opened last fall in New York City’s Central Park and traveled to Brooklyn, Atlanta, and Nashville.
Dr. Spitzer requested the support and endorsement of the Immigrant Rights Commission. Commissioner Moses made the motion to support and endorse the exhibition “A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City”. Commissioner Enssani seconded it. The Commission passed the motion unanimously.
III. Public Comments
No public comments
IV. Reactions Regarding the Immigrant Youth Resolution
Staff reported that the Commission received about 62 e-mail messages and 10 phone calls from the public regarding the action that the Commission took in passing the Resolution regarding the treatment of the undocumented youth at the Commission meeting on July 21, 2008. All messages except 2 opposed the action of the Commission.
At this meeting, there were 3 residents who spoke to the Commission on this matter. They were:
· Celine Kennelly – Executive Director of the Irish Immigrant Pastoral Center (IIPC)
· Rev. Brendan McBride of the IIPC
· James Byrne – Immigration Lawyer
All these speakers strongly support the efforts of the Immigrant Rights Commission in improving and enhancing the quality of life of all immigrants in San Francisco. The speakers supported the sanctuary city ordinance. The Ordinance is rooted in the sanctuary movement of the 1980’s, when churches across the country provided refuge to Central American fleeing civil wars in their countries. In providing such assistance, faith communities were responding to the difficulties immigrants faced in obtaining refugee status from the US government. Municipalities across the country followed the suit by adopting the sanctuary ordinances.
The speakers pointed out that San Francisco should understand the different between the criminals and the law abiding immigrants. The public and media did not have a correct understanding of the sanctuary city ordinance of San Francisco. The Ordinance has never been used to shield the criminals from the federal and state law enforcements. This was a big misconception about the ordinance. The speakers stated that the Commission should not pass the proposed resolution at this time due to the high sensitive and complex situation regarding the immigration issues.
The speakers indicated that in the days ahead, the Commission and the advocacy groups have many things need to be done in the effort to help everyone understand about the purpose of the sanctuary city ordinance.
V. Protocol for developing and approving a resolution
In order to avoid any misunderstand and since there were number of new Commissioners on board, the Commission should go over the protocol for developing and approving a resolution.
Technically, every Commissioner can propose a resolution regarding certain issue. The first step is to prepare the draft of the resolution and then forward it to the staff. Then, depends on the issue or matter, staff will send the resolution to the appropriate Committee for consideration. At the Committee meeting, if the Committee favors it, then staff will work with the City Attorney’s Office to make sure that the languages and issues stated in the resolution do not violate the City and County of San Francisco’s rules and regulations. After that, the City Attorney’s Office will return the draft with their comments or suggestions. Finally, the Commission will consider the draft at its regular monthly meeting.
VI. Neighborhood Meeting in Mission
The Commission asked the Outreach Committee to come up with an action plan for the outreach in the Mission neighborhood. The Commission also recognized the commitment and successful efforts in reaching out to the immigrant community and its members and staff for the last neighborhood meeting in Richmond.
The next neighborhood meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at The Women’s Building in Mission.
The Outreach Committee needs to have a well designed plan to reach out to different groups, residents and city departments to ensure the success outcome of the meeting.
VII. Director’s Report
1. 2008 EAS Annual Compliance Report
The Commission approved the final version of the draft of 2008 EAS Compliance Report at the July meeting. Staff presented the draft of the notification letters to the Tier 1 city departments at the August meeting of the Program & Access Committee. These letters will inform the city departments of the Commission’s approval of the 2008 EAS Compliance Report.
2. EAS Revision
Tomas Lee of the Office Language Services (OLS) forwarded to the City Attorney’s Office for their review and approval of the proposed draft of the EAS Amendment.
A second meeting with the EAS Liaison of the Tier 1 City departments has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 2:00 PM in City Hall – Room 370. At this meeting, the representatives of the city departments will provide their input, feedback and recommendation regarding the proposed draft of EAS Amendment.
VIII. Committee Report
a. Executive Committee
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on September 24, 2008 to plan for the October meeting of the Commission.
b. Program & Access Committee
The next meeting of the Program & Access Committee will take place on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM to discuss the next steps for the EAS Revision.
c. Outreach Committee
The next meeting of the Outreach Committee will take place on September 30, 2008 to plan for the next neighborhood meeting in Mission.
IX. Adjournment
Commissioner Chew moved to adjourn, and Commissioner Haile seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m.