Fiscal Note
No appropriation required.
Title
Rejecting the Trump Administration’s Policy of separating children from their families at the border, calling on congress to immediately halt this inhumane policy, and enact fair and humane comprehensive immigration reform.
Body
WHEREAS, the Trump Administration recently implemented a new ‘zero tolerance’ policy to separate children from their parents at border crossings and hold the children in large detention centers in what been called cages; and,
WHEREAS, this new policy dramatically increases the number of vulnerable minors who are in U.S. custody without the protection of their families; and,
WHEREAS, in practice, this policy has resulted in 1,995 minors who have been separated from their families between April 19, 2018 and May 31, 2018; and,
WHEREAS, the purported goal of this new policy is to serve as a deterrent to prevent people from crossing the border without documentation; and ,
WHEREAS, this policy came at the express direction of Attorney General Jeff Sessions after April 6th, 2018 when he directed each U.S. Attorney’s Office along the Southwest Border (i.e., Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, Western District of Texas, and Southern District of Texas) to adopt a policy to prosecute all Department of Homeland Security referrals of section 1325(a) violations to the extent practicable; and,
WHEREAS, this ‘zero tolerance’ policy further escalates the increasing harassment and discrimination of immigrants caused by the Trump’s Administration policies including:
1. Regular public vilification of migrants, people of color, and people from certain countries;
2. Executive Orders authorizing increased raids and deportation of undocumented immigrants;
3. Reduction of the refugee quota;
4. A costly and unnecessary border wall;
5. A travel ban directed at select Muslim majority nations;
6. Threats to retaliate against law enforcement and cities that seek to keep communities safe through cooperation with immigrant communities;
7. Rejecting caravans of migrant asylum seekers from Central and South America; and
8. Targeting 700,000 young adult immigrants brought to the United States as children by rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; and,
WHEREAS, this practice of separation from family violates international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which protects children from arbitrary arrest and detention; and,
WHEREAS, the American Academy of Pediatrics has concluded that even brief detentions cause ‘toxic stress and trauma’ and may lead to long-term medical and mental health risks for children and that there is no evidence that any length of detention is safe for children; and,
WHEREAS, the number of young children in detention is increasing and these younger children face more risks because of their age; and,
WHEREAS, a May 2018 report from the University Of Chicago Law School and the ACLU finds that vulnerable migrant children held in custody by U.S. officials between 2009 and 2014 were subject to violence, neglect and sexual abuse. Moreover, these violations were not properly investigated or addressed; an,
WHEREAS, these practices violate core American values; and,
WHEREAS, Americans value the sanctity of the family unit, and our laws and practices prioritize keeping parents and children together except in cases of abuse or neglect; and,
WHEREAS, these practices contravene the principles of all Madisonians and Wisconsinites who value the dignity of humans,
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Madison formally call upon Senator Ron Johnson as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security to take all necessary action to immediately discontinue the Trump Administration’s practice of separating children from their families and housing them in detention centers; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and Common Council call on the Trump Administration to take responsibility for the ‘zero tolerance’ policy as it is wholly within the Administration’s power to rescind this policy. Moreover, we call on the President to stop lying to the American people about who has caused this inhumane activity and who has the authority to stop it; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and Common Council support efforts to defund family separation in appropriations and decrease funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices within the Department of Justice; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and the Common Council call on Congress to take action to stand up against this inhumane and immoral policy and ensure the immediate return of children that have been separated from their parents. In particular, we urge Congress to support the following legislation:
o S. 3036 - Keep Families Together Act
o R. 2572 - Protect Family Values at the Border Act
o R. 5950/S.2937 - the HELP Separated Children Act
o R. 2043/S. 2468 - Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2018; and,
BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and the Common Council call on Congress to oppose the following legislation, as these bills fail to uphold principles of fair and humane comprehensive immigration reform:
o H.R.4760 - Securing America's Future Act of 2018
o Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the City Clerk is hereby directed to send a copy of this resolution to each member of the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation.