Bay Area Office Central Valley Office 1769 Park Avenue, Suite 200 2904 N. Blackstone, Suite 202 San Jose, CA 95126 Fresno, CA 93703 Phone: (408) 453-3003 Phone: (559) 840-0005 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.sirenimmigrantrights.org Web: www.sirenimmigrantrgiths.org
January 13, 2025
Re: San José City Council 2025 Legislative Priorities
Dear San José City Council and Staff,
With the sharp rise in blatant xenophobia across the country, many in the immigrant community grow increasingly anxious that their representatives will follow in that trend and abandon them. San José has a long history of being a national leader in showing what it means to represent all your constituents. SIREN has been part of that history for the past 30 years and has secured protections for the immigrant community in the South Bay. At SIREN, we are extremely proud to support the staff memo that honors this legacy, built from the work of generations of the San José community.
As our federal government seeks to dismantle our collective constitutional right for due process through legislation like HR 29, we thank the City for taking a clear stand against these types of actions. Creating legislation that strips rights away from immigrants is not only dehumanizing toward this community, but it also undermines the rights of all residents, regardless of status. It is extremely important that we not allow ourselves to be pit against one another even if it is increasingly tempting to do so. The rights of our neighbors are our own, and we should safeguard them as such.
The incoming presidential administration has made explicit threats against immigrants and their children.
Recently, we’ve seen those threats become reality in places like Kern County. Your resolute support of the immigrant community is more important than ever. Through our work with the community, we know firsthand the deep anxieties many immigrant families are dealing with. Mothers have cried, panicked at the thought of ICE presence at schools or hospitals. Confronting this situation would mean choosing to risk family separation just to meet your child’s needs. They wonder what will happen if they no longer have access to the only medical coverage they qualify for, which is the only way they can access their child’s medication. We routinely explore these situations and continue to face the raw emotions of our community members. Your continued commitment to your immigrant constituents absolutely makes a difference. It allows us to provide comfort and hope during a time when it feels lacking.
Thank you for staying strong in your values and leadership. We look forward to building further protections for the immigrant community within San José as we navigate the next couple of years.
Sincerely,
Juritzi Torres Mendoza
SIREN Organizer