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HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-14-0165City of Miami Legislation Resolution: R-14-0165 City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com File Number: 14-00391a Final Action Date: 4/24/2014 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMAAND THE 113th UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO GRANT TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS TO VENEZUELANS IN THE UNITED STATES AS STATED HEREIN; FURTHER DIRECTING THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS INCLUDED IN THE CITY OF MIAMI'S 2013-2014 FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS AS STATED HEREIN. WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") recognizes that according to the Pew Research Center, there are approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States; and WHEREAS, in April 2013, a bipartisan committee of United States Senators introduced the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 ("S.744"), a comprehensive immigration reform bill proposing to change current United States ("U.S.") immigration policies; and WHEREAS, S.744 was adopted by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 68-32; and WHEREAS, whether the U.S. House of Representatives will consider the bill is uncertain; and WHEREAS, President Barack Obama and leading Republicans have indicated their strong support for passage of a comprehensive immigration bill that contains a fair policy addressing the strengthening of border security, imposing penalties for employers that hire undocumented workers, and providing a pathway for undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. to gain citizenship; and WHEREAS, the increase of Venezuelans deported and a continuation of current immigration policies have exacerbated the living conditions of U.S. citizens who are children of Venezuelan parents that have been or will be deported; and WHEREAS, separation of U.S. citizens who are children of Venezuelan parents, regardless of immigration status, always results in severe consequences for the children who are left without parental guidance or care and a highly unstable financial situation; and WHEREAS, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ("DACA") was implemented by the Secretary of the Department Homeland Security directing U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to practice removal proceedings with prosecutorial discretion towards some individuals who immigrated illegally to the U.S. as children; and WHEREAS, it is necessary to expand the exercise of prosecutorial discretion pursuant to City of Miami Page 1 of 3 File Id: 14-00391 a (Version: 1) Printed On: 12/28/2017 File Number: 14-00391a Enactment Number: R-14-0165 DACA by deferring action against Venezuelans who have children that meet DACA criteria, have established their lives in the U.S., and are not deemed highest priority for removal by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from being placed into removal proceedings or removed from the U.S. and granted employment authorization; and WHEREAS, many employed undocumented Venezuelans have been terminated from their employment pursuant to Form 1-9 audits and the use of E-Verify system, both of which are methods of imposing sanctions against employers who hire undocumented immigrants; and WHEREAS, President Barak Obama and his administration have the power to discontinue these methods of enforcing immigration laws, and the Secretary of Homeland Security has the power to approve a Temporary Protection Status ("TPS") to Venezuelans for humanitarian causes; and WHEREAS, the City recognizes that since 1999, crime in Venezuela has skyrocketed, private corporations have been seized, media outlets and democratic institutions have been threatened, human rights have been trampled upon, and the current ongoing armed conflict are extraordinary conditions for which Congress may provide TPS to Venezuelans in the U.S.; and WHEREAS, Venezuelans living in the U.S. will suffer terrible humanitarian consequences under physical, moral, and psychological hardships if they are removed and returned to Venezuela; and WHEREAS, Venezuelans who have fled to the City are now an integral part of the City's cultural fabric and are vital to our region's economic growth due to the countless businesses Venezuelan residents have started and millions of dollars invested into our community; and WHEREAS, the City has more than a 70% Hispanic/Latino population, many of whom are Venezuelans and many of whom have an expired immigration status; and WHEREAS, because the City is home to many unauthorized immigrants from many parts of the world, including Venezuelans, the timing is now right to make it a priority to keep families together and urge President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform, including granting of TPS in favor of Venezuelans; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The Miami City Commission urges President Barack Obama and the members of the 113th Congress of the United States to grant temporary protective status to Venezuelans living in the United States. Section 3. The Miami City Commission hereby includes this Resolution as part of the City's 2013-2014 Federal Legislative Priorities in support of administrative action to suspend any further deportations of unauthorized Venezuelan individuals with no serious criminal history, to extend Deferred Action to all eligible undocumented members of Venezuelan immigrant families, to end the City of Miami Page 2 of 3 File Id: 14-00391a (Version: 1) Printed On: 12/28/2017 File Number: 14-00391a Enactment Number: R-14-0165 firing of Venezuelan undocumented workers by ending the 1-9 audits and the use of E-Verify System, and to encourage the Secretary of Homeland Security to approve TPS for Venezuelans whose immigration status have expired. Section 4. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, the Florida Congressional Delegation, and the thirty five (35) municipalities that comprise the Miami -Dade County League of Cities. Section 5. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and signature of the Mayor.{1} Footnotes: s{1} If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten calendar days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission City of Miami Page 3 of 3 File Id: 14-00391a (Version: 1) Printed On: 12/28/2017