New resolution will be before Council on Calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Opposing Human Trafficking
Also in this week’s Friday packet is a new resolution that will be before Toledo City Council calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Opposing Human Trafficking and Unscrupulous Employment Practices. For those of you interested in this topic, the new resolution and the previous legislation are both included below:
Calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Opposing Human Trafficking and Unscrupulous Employment Practices
WHEREAS, on April 23, 2010, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1070 (Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act), requiring all local law enforcement to investigate a person’s immigration status when there is “reasonable suspicion” that the person is in the country unlawfully; and
WHEREAS, SB 1070 permits the arrest of a person, without a warrant, if there is suspicion that the person has committed a public offense that makes the person removable from the United States; and
WHEREAS, SB 1070 encourages racial profiling and violates the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees of due process and equal protection for U.S. citizens, legal residents and visitors who are detained for suspicion of being in the country unlawfully; and
WHEREAS, federal funds should not be used to support immigration programs that promote racial profiling and discrimination based on race, ethnicity or national origin or any other form of discrimination; and
WHEREAS, SB 1070 seriously undermines the U.S. Constitution which grants Congress the exclusive power over immigration matters; and
WHEREAS, a comprehensive approach to solve our broken immigration system is necessary to meet the dual goals of ensuring a thriving and secure community and economy in the United States and protecting the human and civil rights guaranteed by our Constitution to all persons in the United States; and
WHEREAS, numerous immigrant communities have contributed creative energy and vitality and economic innovation to neighborhoods across the city of Toledo throughout its history; and
WHEREAS, the city of Toledo is currently home to many diverse communities of immigrants, which contribute to the social, economic, and cultural life of the city and the country; NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That City of Toledo opposes legislation that punishes victims as opposed to perpetrators of human trafficking and unscrupulous employment practices.
SECTION 2. That upon adoption of this Resolution this Council calls upon the President of the United States and the United States Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill that will solve the problem of undocumented immigration at its roots instead of through piecemeal enforcement-only measures, that will keep families together, uphold our values as Americans, promote economic growth and fix the broken immigration system for the long-term.
SECTION 3. That this Resolution shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.
Text of earlier resolution that was tabled:
Opposing Arizona State Law SB 1070 “Support our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act”.
WHEREAS, on April 23, 2010, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1070 (Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act), requiring all local law enforcement to investigate a person’s immigration status when there is “reasonable suspicion” that the person is in the country unlawfully; and
WHEREAS, SB 1070 permits the arrest of a person, without a warrant, if there is suspicion that the person has committed a public offense that makes the person removable from the United States; and
WHEREAS, SB 1070 encourages racial profiling and violates the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees of due process and equal protection for U.S. citizens, legal residents and visitors who are detained for suspicion of being in the country unlawfully; and
WHEREAS, federal funds should not be used to support immigration programs that promote racial profiling and discrimination based on race, ethnicity or national origin or any other form of discrimination; and
WHEREAS, SB 1070 seriously undermines the U.S. Constitution which grants Congress the exclusive power over immigration matters; and
WHEREAS, local resources should not be used to support immigration programs that are under the exclusive power of the federal government; and
WHEREAS, a comprehensive approach to solve our broken immigration system is necessary to meet the dual goals of ensuring a thriving and secure community and economy in the United States and protecting the human and civil rights guaranteed by our Constitution to all persons in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the city of Toledo is home to many diverse communities of immigrants, which contribute to the social, economic, and cultural life of the city and the country; NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That Toledo City Council will not use local resources to cooperate with enforcement of federal immigration laws.
SECTION 2. That upon adoption of this Resolution this Council calls upon the President of the United States and the United States Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill that will solve the problem of undocumented immigration at its roots instead of through piecemeal enforcement-only measures, that will keep families together, uphold our values as Americans, promote economic growth and fix the broken immigration system for the long-term.
SECTION 3. That this Resolution shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.
Arizona has the right idea. The problem is terrible out there.
June 28th, 2010 at 11:55 amThis profiling issue appears to be a knee jerk reaction to the Arizona situation. Do we have a problem here that cries out for this type of legislation?
Council should spend more time working on bringing jobs back to this City rather than making up hokey-dokey laws that aren’t needed.
What a bunch of senseless grandstanding to glom on to an issue that doesn’t have any bearing here.
Just sayin’
June 28th, 2010 at 12:12 pmNow that they have gotten the money situation under control, they can devote the time and effort to prevent those sneaky Canadians from crossing the border and hiding in Toledo.
June 28th, 2010 at 12:24 pmThe Canadians are ok Ron. I think they are really trying to regulate the Michiganders!
June 28th, 2010 at 12:34 pmThose sneaky Canadians or Michiganders aside, I’m not a fan of resolutions. They have a limited value when used to try to encourage legislative bodies within our state but even less value outside of our state as far as spurring action. If Ohio were seriously considering a law similar to Arizona, I’d still point out this type of a resolution it has no real power, but it would be more relevant to our area.
I wrote a resolution once, and it passed, to try to encourage the General Assembly to consider looking at strengthening laws to protect the homeless against acts of violence. None of our local elected General Assembly members have made it an important issue for them to promote/support. It was a good lesson on how even when it’s a topic I support, a resolution really didn’t help change anything.
June 28th, 2010 at 12:52 pmI think a lot of it boils down to making laws, resolutions, etc., that are “feel good” in nature.
There are plenty of laws against violence, discrimination, etc., that fully cover things like this.
Rather than working with existing laws however, it makes politicians look like they are “doing something” when they pass a resolution or some law that isn’t necessary.
June 28th, 2010 at 1:01 pmIt should also be pointed out here that the Lucas County Commissioners also had a similar resolution – (link). It was approved by all three commissioners. Maggie Thurber referenced it June 16 on her blog.
June 28th, 2010 at 4:26 pmI hope that every American, regardless of where he lives, will stop and examine his conscience about this and other related incidents. This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened. All of us ought to have the right to be treated as he would wish to be treated, as one would wish his children to be treated, but this is not the case.
I know the proponents of this law say that the majority approves of this law, but the majority is not always right. Would women or non-whites have the vote if we listen to the majority of the day, would the non-whites have equal rights (and equal access to churches, housing, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, schools, colleges and yes water fountains) if we listen to the majority of the day? We all know the answer, a resounding, NO!
Today we are committed to a worldwide struggle to promote and protect the rights of all who wish to be free. In a time of domestic crisis men of good will and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics and do what is right, not what is just popular with the majority. Some men comprehend discrimination by never have experiencing it in their lives, but the majority will only understand after it happens to them
June 28th, 2010 at 6:08 pm“I know the proponents of this law say that the majority approves of this law, but the majority is not always right.”
This is why we are a Republic.
June 28th, 2010 at 11:56 pmhttp://toledoblade.com/article/20100629/NEWS02/6290421/0/FRONTPAGE
“But his employment of dozens of illegal immigrants and his failure to pay taxes on their incomes required a prison term to serve as both punishment and a deterrent.
Ornelas, 43, of Norwalk, Ohio, was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Toledo to one year and one day in prison. He pleaded guilty in February to eight counts of harboring and concealing illegal aliens, three counts of mail fraud, and seven counts of subscribing to a false tax return.
Federal charges were filed against Ornelas in January. Authorities said search warrants were executed at eight of Ornelas’ restaurants in Ohio, which resulted in 58 undocumented Mexican nationals being taken into custody. Ornelas is the principal owner of Casa Fiesta Mexican restaurants in Oregon, Sandusky, Youngstown, Vermilion, Ashland, Norwalk, Fremont, and Oberlin.”
Someone please explain this. A legal, permanent resident hiring illegals and not paying taxes. Instead of moronic resolutions like this, Adam Martinez, how about enforcing current laws. Mr. Martinez, please site the exact language in the Arizona law that allows profiling! The recent ruling from the Ohio Supreme Court regarding police officers visually judging if someone is speeding leads to more profiling than the Arizona law. What incompetence.
June 30th, 2010 at 9:49 amIt is sad to see Mr. Martinez act in manner that supports illegal Mexicans over U.S. citizens, and other human beings. Mr. Martinez doesn’t even represent Latinos in general; he only represents illegal Mexicans. Mexico has done all that it can do to suppress Guatemalan immigration and so why doesn’t Martinez support a resolution to help Guatemalans? The only reason Martinez’s resolution appears in City Council is to support illegal Mexicans, but he shows his dishonesty by replacing the word “Mexican” with “immigrant”. Martinez wants entitlements for Mexican citizens, but this idea is anti-American. Martinez should be sponsoring a resolution condemning the Mexican government.
July 1st, 2010 at 8:57 pmHey can I quote some of the insight from this entry if I reference you with a link back to your site?
July 7th, 2010 at 2:51 pm