THE
HONORABLE
SHENG
THAO
•
MAYOR
OF
OAKLAND
1 FRANK
H.
OGAWA
PLAZA
•
OAKLAND,
CALIFORNIA
94612
•
(510)
238-3141 •
[email protected]
April18,2023
DearColleaguesontheCityCouncilandMembersofthePublic,
Atthisverymoment,theU.S.DistrictCourtfortheSouthernDistrictofTexasishearingacaseonthelegalityofDeferredActionforChildhoodArrival(DACA)thatcouldjeopardizetheprotectionsagainstdeportationforhundredsofthousandsofindividualsintheUnitedStates.WeOaklandersprideourselvesonourvibrantanddeeplyseededimmigrantcommunitiesandIcannotstandtoseetheseprotectionsstrippedfromtherecipientsofthisprogram.
WemustnowstandinsolidaritywithimmigrantcommunitieswhowouldbeimpactedbyawholesaleoverrulingofDACA’slegality. ThisiswhyI amrequestingthatyoupassthisresolutionandjoinmeinsendingaclearmessagetotheDreamersandimmigrantsinOaklandandthroughoutthecountrythatOaklandisopentoallpeopleandthatwewillcontinuetofightagainstunjustdeportationsandthecruelseparationoffamilies.
I respectfullyurgeyoutosupportthisresolution.
Submitted,
MayorShengThaoCityofOakland
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
________________________
C
ITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
O
AKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
I
NTRODUCED BY MAYOR SHENG THAO
RE
SOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF PROTECTIONS FROM
DEPORTATION AND A PATH TO PERMANENT RESIDENCY FOR
BENEFICIARIES OF DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD
ARRIVALS
W
HEREAS, there are more than 600,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program recipients in this country whose protected status is under threat by a legal case currently before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas; and W
HEREAS, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival was ruled unlawful by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in October 2022; and
W
HEREAS, the Fifth Circuit’s decision allowed current recipients (Dreamers) to continue in the program but blocked the government from approving new applicants; and W
HEREAS, a case is now before Judge Hanen of the Southern District of Texas on appeal which will again consider the legality of the program as well as new regulations from the Biden Administration affirming protections for recipients; and W
HEREAS, many individuals who have grown up in Oakland and currently call Oakland home are DACA recipients or would have qualified when the program was still accepting applicants; and
W
HEREAS, Oakland has been a “Sanctuary City” since 1986; and W
HEREAS, the City of Oakland has affirmed its support for immigrants and DACA recipients on multiple occasions in recent years; and
W
HEREAS, the City of Oakland must send the message to immigrant residents and the entire country that Oakland is welcoming to all people and will remain so no matter the result of lawsuits challenging protections for Dreamers; and
2 3253396v1 / SW
W
HEREAS, an end to the DACA program would be devastating to thousands of families who have done nothing in their lives but work hard and make invaluable contributions to their community and to the United States; now, therefore, be it RE
SOLVED: That the City of Oakland stands in solidarity with the beneficiaries of DACA; and be it
F
URTHER RESOLVED: That that the City of Oakland calls on the federal government to continue its efforts to strengthen protections for Dreamers and pursue all options to avoid the deportation of DACA recipients in the event that the program is deemed entirely unlawful.
I
N COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
P
ASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYE
S - FIFE, GALLO, JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, REID, AND
PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California