Hello Mayor Patino and Councilmembers Soto, Aguilera-Hernandez, Escobedo and Flores:
I am writing to encourage you to move forward with the creation of an Immigration Ad Hoc Committee. It’s past time for the Santa Maria City Council to respond to its constituents with a policy to address the escalating and often violent actions against its documented and undocumented residents.
Indivisible Santa Maria stands in solidarity with the organizations who will be before you at tonight’s City Council meeting requesting the formation of this committee so that those most impacted by the indiscriminate immigration enforcement happening within our region can be heard.
In addition, an immigration Ad Hoc Committee should also consist of other community members who deal with the aftermath of immigration enforcement -- business leaders, school educators, counselors, and administrative staff, healthcare workers, and community members, like myself, who care about their neighbors.
It's imperative that all constituents, regardless of their legal status, be listened to by their elected representatives. Only by forming this Committee and allowing a broad spectrum of impacted and interested parties to participate, will the City of Santa Maria successfully address the growing authoritarianism in our region. It's time to stop the racial injustices and economic hardships that are tearing our families apart as a result.
Thank you for reviewing my comments.
Pam Gates
Leadership Team
Indivisible Santa Maria