|
Dear friends,
We are writing today to follow up on our last newsletter regarding the proposed changes to the City of Albuquerque’s Immigrant Family Policy, as well as a few other important and timely matters.
In an extremely close vote, Albuquerque City Council did the right thing and voted no on R-24-25. Santa Fe Dreamers Project’s Legal Director, Deshawnda Chaparro and Executive Director, Emma O’Sullivan were in attendance along with representatives from other immigrant serving organizations and dozens of others who showed up in support of our immigrant community. The city of Albuquerque has worked hard over the years in order to create an environment whereby our immigrant population feels comfortable calling local law enforcement when needed, knowing that city policy prevents officers from referring suspects and victims to ICE. The proposed changes would have done incredible and irrevocable damage to this hard-won trust and would create a climate of increased fear toward the police among our immigrant communities and end up making our communities less safe despite the claims of the sponsors of the proposed policy change. We are thrilled and relieved that our Immigrant Friendly Policy in Albuquerque remains intact. Thank you to all who showed up and called their councilors or otherwise voiced their opposition to this failed regressive policy proposal!
President Biden Issues Executive Order Limiting Access to Asylum Seekers
In contrast to celebratory feelings regarding last week’s victory in Albuquerque City Council, we are deeply disturbed by this week’s announcement from the White House that President Biden issued an executive order limiting the number of asylum seekers allowed to seek asylum in the United States. We are outraged at President Biden’s disregard for international law, the pro-immigrant values among the Democratic Party’s base, and especially, the wellbeing, safety, and legal human rights of asylum seekers to claim asylum in the United States. This order utilizes the same rationale as former president (and convicted felon) Donald Trump’s notorious “Muslim Ban” and other xenophobic and racist policies. This new executive order looks as though it was developed in a right-wing MAGA think-tank and it has been rightfully condemned by leading immigrant rights organizations around the country as well as the United Nations. This order will do nothing to increase border security and will do everything to hurt asylum seekers. Please let President Biden and the Democratic Party leadership know that you oppose this order and any other that treats asylum seekers as political pawns whose lives are expendable.
In solidarity and love,
Santa Fe Dreamers Project
| 
