HomeMy WebLinkAbout55C - RESO CONDEMNATION LETTERREQUEST FOR
COUNCIL ACTION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE:
JANUARY 15, 2019
TITLE:
ADOPT RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL URGING PRESIDENT
TRUMP TO CEASE EFFORTS TO
REINTERPRET OR RENEGOTIATE
THE 2008 UNITED STATES -VIETNAM
REPATRIATION AGREEMENT IN
ORDER TO DEPORT VIETNAMESE
IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE LIVED IN
THE UNITED STATES FOR DECADES
{STRATEGIC PLAN NO. 5}
�MIIIVV,kNAGER
RECOMMENDED ACTION
CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY:
❑ As Recommended
❑ As Amended
❑ Ordinance on V Reading
❑ Ordinance on 2n° Reading
❑ Implementing Resolution
❑ Set Public Hearing For
CONTINUED TO
FILE NUMBER
Adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Santa Ana urging President Trump to cease
efforts to reinterpret or renegotiate the 2008 United States -Vietnam Repatriation Agreement in
order to deport Vietnamese immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades.
At the December 18, 2018 City Council meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to prepare a
resolution urging the President of the United States to cease efforts to reinterpret or renegotiate
the 2008 United States -Vietnam Repatriation Agreement. As a result, the City Council of the City
of Santa Ana stands in solidarity with the Vietnamese refugees who came to our country before
1995. The United States -Vietnam Repatriation Agreement made in 2008 specifically bars the
deportation of Vietnamese people who arrived in the United States before July 12, 1995.
The State of California has 500,000 Vietnamese Americans that enhance the social, cultural, and
economic fabric of our state. Orange County is home to the largest Vietnamese population
outside of Vietnam. Vietnamese Americans enrich our State and County's culture through the
creation of vibrant Little Saigon communities around California that preserve Vietnamese
heritage, food, language, and customs for younger generations and allow all Californians to be
immersed in the richness of Vietnamese culture.
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Adopt Resolution of the City Council Urging President Trump to Cease Efforts to Reinterpret or
Renegotiate the 2008 United States -Vietnam Repatriation Agreement
January 15, 2019
Page 2
Many Vietnamese Americans living in the State of California today arrived after the fall of Saigon
on April 30, 1975. This event marked the beginning of an exodus of over one million Vietnamese
who left their homeland fleeing communism in search of freedom and democracy. As' new
immigrants, Vietnamese Americans overcame social, linguistic, and economic challenges
through hard work. They achieved success in a plethora of profession fields, including business,
military service, politics and law, science and education, literature and journalism, and sports and
entertainment. Refusing to forget their historical struggle for freedom and democracy,
Vietnamese Americans throughout the United States and the State of California continue to
speak out against the systemic assaults on the freedoms of expression and religion perpetrated
today by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and advocate in favor of human rights and democracy
in Vietnam and worldwide
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
Approval of this item supports the City's efforts to meet Goal #5 — Community Health, Livability,
Engagement & Sustainability.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There are no environmental impacts associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact at this time.
Exhibit: 1. Resolution
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RESOLUTION NO. 2019 -XXX
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA URGING
PRESIDENT TRUMP TO CEASE EFFORTS TO REINTERPRET OR
RENEGOTIATE THE 2008 UNITED STATES -VIETNAM REPATRIATION
AGREEMENT IN ORDER TO DEPORT VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANTS WHO
HAVE LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES FOR DECADES
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines
and declares as follows:
A. WHEREAS, Many Vietnamese Americans living in the State of California
today came to the United States after the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975,
which marked the beginning of an exodus of over one million Vietnamese
who left their homeland fleeing communism in search of freedom and
democracy; and
B. WHEREAS, Over the past four decades, Vietnamese immigrants have
enriched the social, cultural, and economic landscape of the United States
and the great State of California; and
C. WHEREAS, As new immigrants, Vietnamese Americans overcame social,
linguistic, and economic challenges through hard work, achieving success
in a plethora of professional fields, including business, military service,
politics and law, science and education, literature and journalism, and
sports and entertainment; and
D. WHEREAS, The State of California is home to more than 500,000
Vietnamese Americans that enrich the social, cultural and economic fabric
of our state; and
E. WHEREAS, Orange County has the largest Vietnamese population
outside of Vietnam; and
F. WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans have enhanced California and
Orange County's culture through establishment of vibrant Little Saigon
communities throughout the state that preserve Vietnamese heritage,
Resolution No. 2019 -XXX
Page 1 of 3
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food, language, and customs for younger generations and allow all
Californians to be immersed in the richness of Vietnamese culture; and
G. WHEREAS, Refusing to forget their historical struggle for freedom and
democracy, Vietnamese Americans throughout the United States and the
State of California continue to speak out against the systemic assaults on
the freedoms of expression and religion perpetrated today by the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam and advocate in favor of human rights and
democracy in Vietnam and worldwide; and
H. WHEREAS, An agreement made in 2008 between the United States
government and the Vietnamese government specifically bars the
deportation of Vietnamese people who arrived in the United States before
July 12, 1995; and
WHEREAS, The 2008 agreement specifically states that Vietnamese
citizens are "not subject to return to Vietnam" if they "arrived in the United
States before July 12, 1995."
Section 2. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds determines
and declares that it respectfully urges the President of the United States to stop any
efforts to reinterpret or renegotiate the 2008 United States -Vietnam repatriation
agreement.
Section 3. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds determines
and declares that the City of Santa Ana stands in solidarity with the Vietnamese
refugees who came to our country before 1995.
Section 4. If any surcharge or fee, section, subsection, sentence, clause,
phrase or word of this Resolution is for any reason held to be invalid by a court of
competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining
portions of this Resolution. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed
and adopted this Resolution, and each and all provisions hereof, irrespective of the fact
that one or more provisions may be declared invalid.
Section 5. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by
the City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting
this Resolution.
ADOPTED this day of January, 2019.
Resolution No. 2019 -XXX
Page 2 of 3
Miguel A. Pulido
Mayor
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney
AYES: Councilmembers
NOES: Councilmembers
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers
NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers
CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY
I, MARIA D. HUIZAR, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attest to and certify that the
attached Resolution No. 2019 -XXX to be the original resolution adopted by the City
Council of the City of Santa Ana on
Date:
Clerk of the Council
City of Santa Ana
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Resolution No. 2019 -XXX
Page 3 of 3
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