HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/21/2017 04 Open Discussion for the Good of the OrderOFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
129 North Second Street
City Hall, Yakima, Washington 98901
Phone (509) 575-6040
Distributed at the
Meetings 91-1
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Statement on immigration status in the City of Yakima
February 2017
The City of Yakima is a full-service city providing a range of municipal services to its residents
and businesses, including
Airport management
Building inspections
Communications
Emergency response/911
Investigations
Neighborhood development
Public records management
Snow & ice control
Transit
Animal Control
Business licensing
City utilities
Code enforcement
Economic development
Engineering
Fire inspections, suppression and education
Irrigation
Land use and planning
Parks
Police patrol
Recreation
Refuse
Street improvements
Traffic safety
Wastewater and stormwater
Water quality
Provision of such services requires as wide a range of information from program users as there
are services, for example, if you are pulled over by a Yakima police officer for a potential traffic
violation, you will be asked for a driver's license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance To
open a water/sewer account, you will need to demonstrate you are authorized to do so for the
property which will require establishing your identity If you are calling 911 for assistance, you
will be asked for your name, the address, and specifics about the event you are reporting
In recent months, the issue of immigration, including the role of local law enforcement, has
received significant national attention To clarify, the City of Yakima, including the Yakima Police
Department (YPD), operates under long-established practices with regard to immigration, which
is a federal matter
First and foremost, when accessing City of Yakima municipal services, in no instance will a
community member be asked about or required to provide documentation of immigration status
This includes the Yakima Police Department which does not have legal authority to enforce
federal laws, including those pertaining to immigration YPD officers do not inquire about
immigration status when interacting with the public nor do officers inquire about immigration status
on behalf of any federal agency As noted above, if stopped while driving, the driver must be able
to provide a driver's license, registration and proof of insurance If arrested by the police,
immigration status is not something YPD checks.
YPD does work in partnership with many local, state and federal agencies, which can include
assisting federal agents on active criminal investigations However, YPD does not take
enforcement action regarding immigration
The City of Yakima and YPD value the relationship with the community and are committed to
continually improving that relationship If there are any questions on the provision of city services,
please contact the City Manager's Office at (509) 575-6040; for questions specific to YPD please
contact the department at (509) 575-6200
Yakima
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