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<br />Flores, Dora <br />From:Maria Ceja <ceja.maria95@gmail.com> <br />Sent:Tuesday, <br />To:eComment <br />Subject:Council member requested item #21 <br /> Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links. <br /> <br />Dear Mayor Amezcua and City Councilmembers, <br />I am Maria Ceja, a Ward 5 resident and born and raised in Santanera. I am the product of immigrants, like many others <br />who call this beautiful city home. Santa Ana is a majority immigrant community that should stand with our undocumented <br />family members, friends, neighbors, and community members, forever and always. This is why I am writing to support <br />Item #21 and urge the Council to move forward with bringing back the Sanctuary Policy Advisory Group to encourage <br />those that hold the most power locally to navigate the current and changing terrain of immigration in light of the new <br />presidential administration and the recent actions across the country to instill very valid fears and terror amongst the <br />immigration community. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />In 2017, the Council passed a robust Ordinance with language stating that they would establish a task force made up of <br />community members to advise the City Council on policies related to the ordinance, including helping craft policies to <br />protect immigrants as well as recommend ways to use and oversee a city fund to help immigrants fight deportation in <br />court. This advisory group has not met for some time and with so much uncertainty, now is the time for the City of Santa <br />Ana to reaffirm its support for the immigrant community and revive the Sanctuary Policy Advisory Group to help facilitate <br />trust and transparency between the City of Santa Ana and its immigrant residents. <br /> <br />Santa Ana’s status as a sanctuary city builds on years of community-based struggles fighting for the political, economic, <br />and human rights of our vibrant immigrant communities. I stand firm with Councilwoman Lopez's request for the advisory <br />group to reconvene within 30 days to provide updates to the city and recommendations on ways they can better protect <br />residents. <br /> <br />I look forward to seeing the re-implementation of the Sanctuary Ordinance & Advisory Board and the role it will take to <br />protect immigrant’s rights in Santa Ana. <br /> <br /> <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br />Maria Ceja <br />Ward 5 Resident & Santa Ana Community member <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />