Correspondence - 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Dear Mayor Amezcua and City Councilmembers, As one of Orange County's most notable Environmental Justice organizations, we focus a lot on the health and environmental justice discrepancies between immigrant and non-immigrant communities. Much of our findings show that immigrant communities are more likely zoned into polluted areas, EJ clusters, and otherwise sacrificed. Because we work with many immigrant communities, neighborhoods, and community members, we often fight for issues intersecting with environmental justice like housing justice, immigrant justice, and criminal justice. As such, I am writing to express our strong support for moving forward with Agenda Item 21 and bringing back the Sanctuary Policy Advisory Group, a community oversight mechanism written within the ordinance to facilitate trust and transparency between the City of Santa Ana and its immigrant residents. In January 2017, the Council passed a robust Ordinance with language stating that they would establish a task force made up of community members to advise the City Council on policies related to the ordinance, including helping craft policies to protect immigrants as well as recommend ways to use and oversee a city fund to help immigrants fight deportation in court. This advisory group has not met for some time and with so much uncertainty, now is the time for the City of Santa Ana to reaffirm its support for the immigrant community and revive the Sanctuary Policy Advisory Group to help facilitate trust and transparency between the City of Santa Ana and its immigrant residents. Santa Ana's status as a sanctuary city builds on years of community-based struggles fighting for the political, economic, and human rights of our vibrant immigrant communities. I stand firm with Councilwoman Lopez's request for the advisory group to reconvene within 30 days to provide updates to the city and recommendations on ways they can better protect residents. I look forward to seeing the re-implementation of the Sanctuary Ordinance &Advisory Board and the role it will take to protect immigrant's rights in Santa Ana. Sincerely, I(Ayla ArAta Sas,,ayt1,a Guerrero Erica Gohzalez Keila Villeyar Political Director Executive Director Finance and Logistics Director Water Justice Director Former Santa Ana Santa Ana Santa Ana Resident and Santa Ana Resident Resident Businessowner Businesswoner Jocelyh SahcAeZ Cyalkey Clevoy Maya cl eav Field Team Youth Director Land and Health Director Coordinator