HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/05/2017 05A Revised Draft Letter to President Trump RE: DACABUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDASTATEMENT
Item No. 5.A.
For Meeting of: September 5, 2017
ITEM TITLE: Revised draft letter to President Trump re: DACA
SUBMITTED BY: Cliff Moore, City Manager
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
At its August 15th business meeting, the City Council considered a draft letter addressed to
President Trump concerning the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ("DACA") program.
Staff was directed to amend the draft letter by deleting paragraphs 1, 2, and 9 and revising the
draft letter's opening paragraphs. Attached is a modified draft letter. The first three paragraphs
of the modified draft letter differ from the original draft. The remainder of the modified draft letter
is identical to the original draft. The Council is being asked to consider the modified draft letter at
its September 5th business meeting.
ITEM BUDGETED: NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Public Trust and Accountability
APPROVED FOR
SUBMITTAL:
City Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve draft letter
BOARD/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
N/A
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date
D Reiseu draft letter to President Trump re: DACA d'16r2017
Type
Ccver Menlo
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September ---, 2017
The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President,
Since it was established in 2012, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ("DACA")
program has served more than 750,000 young immigrants, including many in the Yakima
Valley. Recently, the appropriateness of DACA has been called into question and
suggestions have been made to weaken, or even rescind, DACA.
Mr. President, you have repeatedly expressed your support of Dreamers. Those "incredible
kids", as you have described them, are relying on the promise you have made to handle
this issue "with heart."
We, the City Council of the City of Yakima, Washington, urge you to serve as a persuasive
and resilient advocate for DACA and to steadfastly maintain and defend efforts to weaken
or rescind what is an invaluable source of optimism for hundreds of thousands of Dreamers
across our nation.
The fertile Yakima Valley has long been recognized as a leading agricultural region not only
in the U.S., but around the world. Our valley produces more apples, hops, and mint than
anywhere else in the country. Other tree fruits like cherries, pears, and peaches, as well as
wine grapes, a wide variety of vegetables, and multiple other crops thrive here because of
the Yakima Valley's unique soil conditions and climate, sophisticated irrigation networks,
leadership in technological advances in agriculture, and unwavering commitment of
generations of farming families.
The Yakima Valley's agriculture -centric economy, though, would not and could not be as
successful as it has been were it not for the qualified and skilled labor force — a labor force
largely consisting of immigrants - that harvests, packs, and ships the multitude of crops
grown here to markets around the globe. Quite literally, the backbone of our region's
internationally -renowned agricultural economy is that immigrant -based labor force.
For many of the children of our area's immigrant agricultural workers, the Yakima Valley is
the only home they have ever known. This is where they grew up. This is where their
families, friends, jobs and lives are. This is their community.
DACA offers those daughters and sons of Yakima Valley immigrants a tangible and realistic
opportunity to live out the American dream. DACA provides the descendants of the very
people who have contributed so enormously to establishing the Yakima Valley as a global
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agricultural force a legitimate and genuine chance to continue their education, to continue
to work and to contribute to our economy, and to continue to realize their American dreams.
Supporting comprehensive immigration reform is among the Yakima City Council's highest
federal legislative priorities. As the elected policy-making body for the largest city in the
Central Washington region and the county -seat of Yakima County, we fundamentally
recognize the invaluable impact immigrants have had and will continue to have on our
community.
Immigrants and their children are intricately woven into the fabric of the Yakima Valley and
its economy. Immigrants and their children are inexorably ingrained in our region's past,
present, and future.
The nearly 800,000 Dreamers who were brought to this country by their parents and have
since been granted DACA after completing applications, submitting to and passing
background checks, and applying for a work permit believed you when you said they should
"rest easy."
It is on their behalf, and that of the entire Yakima community, that we, the Yakima City
Council, implore you to keep their dreams alive by rejecting any attempt to rescind or
weaken DACA and, instead, staunchly and adamantly champion its continuation now and
for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Mayor Kathy Coffey Assistant Mayor Carmen Mendez
Councilmember Dulce Gutierrez Councilmember Avina Gutierrez
Councilmember Bill Lover Councilmember Maureen Adkison
Councilmember Holly Cousens