Full Commission
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Immigrant Rights Commission Meeting
City Hall - Room 416
February 11, 2008
Minutes
Commissioner Jamal Dajani (Acting Chair) convened the meeting at 5:05 p.m.
Members Present: Jamal Dajani, (Acting Chair), Elahe Enssani, Vera Haile, Angus McCarthy, Sam Ng, Toye Moses, Gilberto Alexander, Jay Gonzalez , Christopher Punongbayan, Felix Fuentes, Greg Chew and Alan Mok
Members Absent: Solomon Jones
Staff Present: Dang Pham, Executive Director
Acting Chair Dajani wished everyone a Happy Chinese New Year and welcomed two newly appointed Commissioners: Mr. Greg Chew and Mr. Alan Mok.
I. Roll Call
II. Approve the Minutes of November 14, 2007 and January 14, 2008 meetings
Commissioner Punongbayan moved to approve the minutes of November 14, 2007. Dr. Moses made correction in the title of Commissioner Melara from Chairman to Chairperson. Commissioner Haile provided staff some correct spelling or missing words.
Commissioner Gonzalez then moved to approve the amended minutes of November 14, 2007, seconded by Commissioner Fuentes. The amended minutes was approved.
Commissioner Haile moved that the minutes of January 14, 2008 be approved, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez. The minutes were approved as submitted.
III. Public Comments
Mr. Michael Carlson, American Dreamers, spoke regarding injustice in the world.
IV. Presentation
a. Sheila Chung Hagen, Immigrant Rights Administrator
The City Administrator appointed Ms. Sheila Chung Hagen to the Immigrant Rights Administrator position. Ms. Hagen was the former Director of the Bay Area Rights Immigrant Rights Coalition, a non-profit community based organization. She will be working closely with Dang Pham, Executive Director of the Immigrant Rights Commission and Tomas Lee, Director, Office of Language Services to better serve the immigrants in San Francisco.
Ms. Hagen’s role as the new Immigrant Rights Administrator is to make sure that City Departments are adhering to the Sanctuary Ordinance. She also assists the County Clerk ’s Office to implement the new Municipal ID Cards as mandated by the Board of Supervisors.
Acting Chair Dajani thanked and welcomed Ms. Hagen to the team.
b. Anamaria Loya - Day Labor Program in San Francisco
Ms. Loya, Director of the La Raza Centro Legal thanked the members of the Immigrant Rights Commission for providing the valuable assistance to the Day Labor Program. The Commission is charged with overseeing and administering the City’s funded Day Labor Program. La Raza Central Legal is the contractor to operate the San Francisco Day Labor Program.
Ms. Loya distributed copy of a brief summary about the day labor program and domestic workers in San Francisco to the Commissioners. She also discuss of the program activities and the organizational profile. La Raza Central Legal is a legal services civil rights agency to serve the immigrants, which has existed in San Francisco for 35 years.
Acting Chair Dajani thanked Ms. Loya for her presentation and asked Mr. Pham to arrange for a visit to the Day Labor Program in the near future.
V. Summary Report of the Immigrant Rights Summit 2007
Mr. Pham informed that the Office of Language Services has not able to complete the draft of the report for this meeting. Once the report has been finalized Mr. Pham will send it to all Commissioners.
VI. Election of the Vice Chair of the Commission
Commissioner Gonzalez moved to nominate Commissioner Punongbayan for the Vice Chair, seconded by Commissioner McCarthy.
Commissioner Moses nominated Commissioner Haile for the Vice Chair, seconded by Commissioner Alexander. Commissioner Haile declined.
Commissioner Enssani nominated Commissioner McCarthy for the Vice Chair, seconded by Commissioner Fuentes. Commissioner McCarthy declined.
Commissioner Moses moved to close nominations, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez.
Commissioner Punongbayan was elected to the Vice Chair position unanimously. Acting Chair Dajani congratulated Commissioner Punongbayan as the newly elected Vice Chair of the Commission.
VII. Announce the election date for the Chair’s position
Acting Chair Dajani recommended that the nomination for the Chair’s position will take place at the March 10th Commission meeting and the election will take place at the April 14th meeting.
Acting Chair Dajani moved that the nomination for the Chair take place at the March 10th meeting and the election take place at the April 14th meeting, the motion was seconded by Commissioner Haile. The motion passed unanimously.
VIII. Committee Structure
a. Revisit the current structure
Currently there are 4 Committees: Executive Committee, Program & Access Committee, Comprehensive Immigration Reform Committee and the Outreach Committee.
At the last month Commission meeting, there was a proposal to consolidate the Outreach Committee, with another Committee, due to lack of membership. Commissioner Moses argued that the Outreach Committee was an important Committee and should not be abolished.
Commissioner Mok indicated his willingness to join the Outreach Committee and work with the Committee, the Asian Community, and KMTV Channel 32. He felt that through his media efforts he could assist the Outreach Committee with its goals.
Commissioner Fuentes moved to retain the Outreach Committee and maintain the current structure, seconded by Commissioner Alexander. Commissioner Enssani amended the motion, maintain the Outreach Committee and redefine the responsibilities and the scope of the Outreach Committee. This motion was passed unanimously.
b.. Sanctuary & Municipal ID Card Committee
Commissioner Punongbayan moved to create a new Committee to oversee the sanctuary city ordinance and the Municipal ID card. Commissioner Enssani seconded.
Commissioner Haile indicated that the Commission should not duplicate the tasks. The Commission should consider its mission, staffing situation, current Committee structure and its tasks.
Commissioner McCarthy recommended that the Commission refers back to the Executive Committee for more discussion and bring back the recommendations for consideration at the April Commission meeting.
IX. Joint Reception with the Human Rights Commission (HRC)
Commissioner Gonzalez moved to endorse the joint reception with HRC, seconded by Commissioner McCarthy. This motion was passed unanimously .
X. Director’s Report
* 2008 Equal Access Annual Compliance report:
Up to this date, nine (9) City Departments have submitted their report with four (4) outstanding. Staff will send out the reminder to the following four departments: Juvenile Probation Department, Adult Probation Department, Sheriff’s Department and Election’s Department.
Mr. Pham reminded Commissioners of the Joint Reception from 3-5 p.m. in City Hall - South Light Court. The expected turn out is between 70-75 persons At this joint reception, Acting Chair Jamal Dajani and City Administrator Ed Lee expected to make the welcoming remarks. The City Administrator also will officially introduce Ms Sheila Chung Hagen , newly appointed to the Immigrant Rights Administrator position.
XI. Committee Reports
a. Executive Committee
The Committee set the agenda for the February meeting based on the recommendations from the Commissioners.
b. Program & Access Committee
A meeting with the community-based organizations to enhance the Equal Access To City Services (EAS) will be held on March 21, 2008 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM in City Hall. Based on the outcome of this meeting, the Commission can work with the Mayor’s Office, the Board of Supervisors and the immigrant rights groups to revise the equal access ordinance.
c. Outreach Committee
No meeting was held during the month.
d. Immigration Reform Committee
Commissioner McCarthy indicated that the Committee will meet on February 19th and will report its discussion to the March 10th Commission meeting.
XII. Adjournment
Commissioner Haile moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez. The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 PM.