Clarke Talks Talk & Walks Walk on Immigration
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke last week commended the de Blasio administration on signing laws that will restrict New York City’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities, with exceptions to protect the public safety, and will remove officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement from Rikers Island and other municipal facilities.
Previously, federal agents had used information from city agencies, particularly criminal records, to locate Americans without legal status and to initiate deportation proceedings.
“More than half a million people in our city had reason to fear that any interaction with the police, even an arrest on charges found to have been unsubstantiated, could result in forcible separation from their families. Individuals who are an integral part of our society were effectively deprived of a right basic to full membership in that society – the right to interact with their government without fear of reprisal. That terrible policy has now been changed,” she said.
Clarke said the new measures establish New York City as a leader in supporting the full integration of Americans who currently lack legal status into our community.
“It is my hope that Congress – which has failed to address the issue of immigration reform – will learn from our example,” she added.
Clarke will also holding an information session of the Haitian Family Reunification Program, which the Obama administration recently endorsed. The program will expedite visa to this county fro Haitians with family already living legally in this country.
Among the officials expected to the information session are representatives of the New York Immigration Coalition, Haitian Americans United for Progress, the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, the Office for New Americans, and New York City Public Advocate Letitia James.
The session is slayed for between 7-9 pm, tomorrow, Nov. 18 at 123 Linden Boulevard.
Williams holds final Participatory Budgeting Meeting
City Councilmember Jumaane Williams is holding his third and final Participatory Budgeting (PB) meeting for his 45th Council district tonight. PB is a fairly new process in which constituents get to nominate and vote on how discretionary money given to city council members for their district is allocated and spent.
“PB has been an empowering form of open democracy which has not only gained momentum within our own neighborhood, but has continued to expand citywide. For the past three years, PB has served as a great tool to build up school infrastructures and fund capital projects District 45 constituents find most important. As we enter our fourth year, I look forward to seeing more people getting involved so that these projects continue to improve our community, for example, with sanitation efforts, in very real ways,” said Williams.
Tonight’s meeting is slated for 6-8:30 pm at the Flatbush YMCA on 1401 Flatbush Ave.
Today’s Brooklyn Events:
Mayor de Blasio press conference, 10:15 am, Brooklyn Navy Yard. At press time not known what de Blasio will announce.
The Eastern Parkway visioning project will help the Brooklyn Public Library better understand how to improve its services at the Eastern Parkway branch library (corner of Schenectady Ave and Eastern Pkwy). From 6-8 pm, at the Eastern Parkway library (Utica Ave 3/4).
Jumaane Willams Fundraiser from 5:30-7:30 pm at 99 Solutions, LLC, 20 Jay Street, Suite 1006. RSVP at info@99-solutions.com or contact Tunisia Morrison 347-799-1087
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