Monday, March 18, 2024

NCW United group presses city council on immigration

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A group, calling itself NCW United, is pressing the Leavenworth City Council to pass a resolution regarding immigration. NCW is a group of 846 members. This is their stated mission:

“Moved to act by the 2016 election results, we seek to inform, understand, protect and persuade, through a supportive and action-oriented community. Goals/objectives: 1. Bring together concerned citizens who desire to be informed and are empowered to take action. 2. Participate in events and activities that help protect the vulnerable and bring about effective positive change. 3. Trade in accurate and reliable information in order to educate the community. 4. Persuade and inform through fostering an informed dialogue among diverse viewpoints.”

A group of NCW United members came to the Leavenworth City Council meeting on Feb. 28. They were represented by former city councilman Carl Florea.

“We have tried to meet with all of you individually to bring forth something we think is crucial for our community. We are a welcoming community, we believe. But we think it is time, in this day and age, to be more explicit about what that means,” Florea said. “Because we have a segment of our community living with some fear and anxiety. We think we need to demonstrate that some of us have their backs. We recognize and appreciate them.”

Florea read a suggested resolution to the council, saying the hope is they would take this up and do something active. He said they would continue to monitor and see that something takes place.

This is the text of the proposed resolution.

“Whereas as the city of Leavenworth is a city known for it’s hospitality to all of it’s visitors from all walks of life and all nationalities, races and religions. And whereas that hospitality grows out of a community that is strong, vibrant, compassionate and committed to another and the good of all of it’s fellow residents, coworkers and their families.

And whereas it is understood that some of those that are currently contributing to the vitality of our businesses, our schools, our churches and other civic organizations are persons who are undocumented or have family members who are undocumented.

And whereas these workers from Mexico or other central American countries, whether documented or undocumented, provide a workforce for the service and agricultural industries that could not easily be replaced.

And whereas it is recognized by the city that the immigration issue, particularly with regard to our neighboring countries to the south of us, has long been broken and is in need of a comprehensive, realistic fix that recognizes the contributions of these workers and their families and the level to which they have become integrated into the life of the community.

And whereas the city of Leavenworth believes the wholesale deportations would be destructive to the economic vitality of city and our region would be disastrous to the persons involved and their families, many of whom have lived in and contributed to our community for many years and would  do nothing to solve the complex issue of immigration.

Therefore, be it resolved, the city of Leavenworth recognizes and appreciates the contributions of it’s guest workers to the health and vitality of the community, whether documented or not, and welcomes their presence in the life of our community.

Be it resolved, the city of Leavenworth does not believe it is in the best interest of this community, this county or this country to try to solve the issue of undocumented workers through the mass deportation of said workers. And be it further resolved, the city of Leavenworth will not actively support or cooperate with the federal immigration and customs enforcement agency in its efforts to deport all undocumented workers and be it further resolved, the city of Leavenworth will direct the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, when operating within city limits as the contracted law enforcement agency of the city, to not routinely ask for documentation from anyone encountered during the course of their duties and they not hold anyone arrested in the city beyond which required by law and their own procedures in order to accommodate a request by ICE the person be held.

Be it further resolved that city administration post notices of the welcoming intent of this resolution on it’s website and within the city hall itself. And finally, be it further resolved the city of Leavenworth shall encourage other cities in Chelan County to pass other resolutions encouraging real, practical solutions to immigration without disrupting the economic vitality of the area or the familial and community ties of it’s residents.”

Florea said the council may do with this what it wishes, edit it, change it. Local resident Steve Smith spoke in opposition.

“When I first found this, it shocked me. It is a sanctuary city resolution. I would caution the council against bringing anything forward with this, for many reasons,” Smith said. “I know it was a shock to a lot of people that Donald Trump was elected president, but the globalist movement, the social democratic society is going to shift. We’ve already seen it.”

Smith said he is worried about the liability to the city of Leavenworth.

“Since I’ve lived here, I’ve seen the federal government fund many projects in this town. I worry about Leavenworth losing that federal funding because the federal government is going to come after sanctuary cities and sanctuary states. Make no doubt about it,” Smith said.

Smith accused President Obama of going after cities and counties that were trying to enforce immigration laws. He felt the Justice Department was turning a blind eye to it.

“I see the illegal immigrants coming into our country and thumbing their noses at us, because they know, as as sanctuary county, Chelan County cannot contact,” Smith said. “The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office cannot contact ICE so there is no need Carl for the city to stand up to the Chelan County Sheriff’s Department and say we don’t want you doing this in our town.”

Smith said people in town need to know if something like this is coming before the council.

“I just found out about this. I have paperwork I hope all council members read. I want every council member to read about the repercussions and the federal funding and the issues that face our country,” Smith said.

Mayor Cheri Kelley Farivar said the council will discuss this issue at an upcoming study session.

Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.

 

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