The council passed a resolution, urging Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.
SPRINGFIELD – The City Council on Monday voted to urge Congress to enact a comprehensive immigration reform bill aimed at giving illegal immigrants an avenue for “earned legalization with a path toward citizenship.”
Zaida Luna In an unrelated vote, the council went on record urging the state Department of Youth Services to withdraw its proposal to locate a group home at 100 Green Lane in the Atwater Park neighborhood. There is also a petition opposed to the group home,” Ward 2 Councilor Michael A. Fenton said.
The council without any objections, passed a non-binding resolution to urge passage of the comprehensive immigration reform bill. A bipartisan bill under consideration in Congress “addresses (1.) earned legalization with a path to citizenship; (2.) updated future immigration of families and workers; and (3.) improved immigration enforcement and border security that is consistent with our nation’s values,” the council stated.
Councilor Zaida Luna, who co-sponsored the resolution with Council President James Ferrera III, said she will forward the resolution to Congress and discuss it with U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield.
The resolution states in part: “We believe in the human dignity of all residents, regardless of immigration status and recognize the importance of immigrants’ many contributions to the social and economic fabric of the city, and citizenship is an important symbol of full membership and participation in society that should be encouraged, not barred.”
In addition, the resolution states that comprehensive immigration reform “must update the legal immigration system so that future flow of immigrant workers more realistically match our nation’s labor needs and are structured to protect the wages and working conditions of U.S. and immigrant workers.”
Councilor Clodovaldo Concepcion said he immigrated decades ago from Cuba, adding “this country was built by immigrants no matter where they came from.”
Councilor Bud L. Williams said that Springfield’s greatest strengths is its diversity. He urged activists in the council audience to keep up the agitation for change.
Approximately 25 people, wearing T-shirts with the letters “SEIU,” for Service Employees International Union, or with “United We Care,” attended the meeting, with some speaking in favor of the resolution during the public speakout just prior to the regular meeting.