By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ
FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff City Council will vote on Tuesday, Oct. 1 on a resolution supporting comprehensive immigration reform. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 211 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff.
Nearly a dozen community members spoke in support of the resolution during a city council work session held on Sept. 24.
“If you were there last week, you know how important and powerful our statements of support were,” Leah Mundell of the Northern Arizona Interfaith Council, stated in a release. “If you weren’t there last week, this is your chance to participate! Please come out to support the resolution. It is the first substantive item on the agenda, so please arrive at 6:00. We hope Sedona leaders might come join us as we prepare to introduce a similar resolution there.”
Besides Mundell, some of the speakers in support of the resolution included Anamaria Ortiz, Kathryn Jim of the Northern Arizona Human Rights Council, Deacon Scott Daeasy of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Flagstaff, Minesh Patel of the Flagstaff Lodging & Restaurant Association and Father Patrick Mowrer, pastor of San Francisco de Asis Parish.
In her prepared remarks, Ortiz said:
“For the past year a group of concerned Flagstaff community members, including myself, has come together with Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick on various occasions, communicating our thoughts regarding comprehensive immigration reform. Members from all walks of Flagstaff life have shared immigration stories with the congresswoman, from businessmen, professors, students, retirees, activists, clergy, members of the LGBTQ communities, documented, Dreamers, DACA-mented and undocumented. We have shares stories of arrests and deportation, family separation, worker shortages, abuse of workers rights, fear of police, lengthy traffic stops, unscrupulous lawyers and notaries, racial profiling and blatant disregard of human being’s civil rights.
“This is an issue that affects each and everyone of us in this room, whether we choose to see it or not. However, I cannot turn a blind eye and pretend that this issue doesn’t exist. And it is time that the city of Flagstaff recognizes that the issue of immigration is one that needs to be dealt with and not ignored any longer.
“In our last meeting with Congresswoman Kirkpatrick, she encouraged us to keep the pressure on the House to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Although all sides can probably agree that the bipartisan solution developed by the Senate is less than perfect, it is a start, and all that work could possibly be lost if the House refuses to act. In fact, it is very possible that the Senate bill could pass if Speaker of the House (John) Boehner would bring the Senate bill to a vote. However, he refuses to bring it to the floor until he has a majority of his caucus supporting it. But time is passing, people are being arrested, deported and separated from their families. Unfortunately, I know too many U.S. citizen children, here in Flagstaff, that are living with only one parent because the other has been deported. So we, the community of Flagstaff, must show the Arizona delegation that we won’t wait any longer.
“We must pressure the federal government to act, and to act now. But we should also demand that we address workforce needs, while protecting all workers, documented and undocumented alike. We must insure that families remain together because families are the backbone of our community. And we need to insure that immigrants have a path to a legal status and citizenship, where they can continue to contribute to our country’s well being by recognizing that immigrants and their families are productive members of our community
“I hope that you all will open your hearts and minds to things you may not personally agree with in order to benefit all citizens of our great city.”
Father Mowrer said many members of his flock have been caught up with the immigration deportation problem.
“I personally know the stories of the people whose family’s are split, the people who are on their own,” he said.” I ask for your support.”
Jim of the Northern Arizona Human Rights Council said the LGBT community is badly treated in Mexico and leave for the United States in search of safety.
“LGBT immigrants from Mexico are killed or badly beaten,” she said. “It’s important that we give them a quality life.”
Patel spoke of the adverse economic impact on Flagstaff, which is poised for economic growth, if the nation fails to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
“The bottom line is that we need these workers,” he said.