City Council
MEETING DATE: 7/11/2018
TITLE:
Title
Resolution Urging Congressional and Administration Action to Prevent the Separation of Families Seeking Asylum
End
FROM:
Charlie McClendon, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council approve a resolution urging Congressional and Administration action to prevent the separation of families detained at the border while seeking asylum in the United States.
Body
BACKGROUND:
During a study session discussion on June 13, 2018 CM Kaplan led a discussion regarding his concerns with federal policies that have resulted in the separation of parents from their children. In many cases the families in question were seeking asylum in the United States when they were detained at the border. Based on the study session discussion CM Kaplan and CM Aguilar agreed to work with legal staff to draft a resolution articulating Council's concerns.
DISCUSSION:
The resolution states that every day hundreds of persons, ranging from infants and toddlers to adolescents and adults, flee violence, oppression, and economic desperation from countries around the world including Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, seeking safe harbor in the United States and refugees seeking asylum hope to receive asylum with all family members. Acting Assistant Secretary Steven Wagner of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) testified before the Senate in April 2018 that during a review of more than 7,600 unaccompanied immigrant children who had recently arrived and been placed with a sponsor, officials at the agency were unable to determine the precise whereabouts of 1,475 children. Further, in a release on June 23, 2018, the Department of Homeland Security and HHS said 2,053 children were still in custody of HHS and awaiting being returned to their parents although other reports indicates this number may be over 4,000.
The resolution urges Congress and the Administration to support a le...
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