Laserfiche WebLink
From:Jessica Silver-Sharp <br />To:publiccomment <br />Subject:For public comment this evening <br />Date:Monday, November 25, 2024 4:52:03 PM <br />You don't often get email from jessisilver@gmail.com. Learn why this is important <br />Dear City Council, <br />Please accept this public comment regarding Agenda item 7 this evening. <br />Support for Sanctuary Status for Redwood City <br />November 25, 2024 <br />We are writing in strong support of Councilman Chris Sturken’s proposal that <br />Redwood City adopt an ordinance that Restricts the Use of Municipal Resources to <br />Assist or Cooperate with Immigration Authorities, thus allowing the city to become a <br />sanctuary for immigrants. <br />As Cañada College faculty who work directly with our immigrant community, we <br />represent a body of SMCCD faculty who have seen the damage caused within our <br />educational system due to both the fear and carrying out of deportations. <br />To be a “welcoming city” is not enough.The reality is that our students are currently <br />facing and will soon face an even greater increase in federal attacks and threats of <br />mass deportation, causing disruptions and increased difficulties in pursuing an <br />education. We must do everything in our power to combat this situation. <br />It is critical that our community not additionally fear that local authorities will assist in <br />carrying out these threats. Our students at Cañada College and all of the RWC <br />immigrant community deserve to feel safe when applying for city services, and not <br />worry that private information can be gathered and shared with immigration <br />authorities. According to the most recent Census data available, “As of 2022, 32% of <br />Redwood City, CA residents (26.6k people) were born outside of the United States.” <br />Additionally, as members of our faculty union local AFT1493, we echo our national <br />union’s support for campuses as sanctuary spaces reflected by AFT’s resolution “in <br />Support of Sanctuary Schools and Campuses.” <br />We ask that the City Council pay particular attention to this words of current Cañada <br />College student Sharon Song, representing her peers in the undocumented <br />community: <br />“As a student and member of the undocumented community, ensuring that our