Holyoke is Not a Sanctuary City
Given the stance the federal government has taken against people who appear to be immigrants — dark skin, jet black hair, indigenous — that they be taken by masked men and women who refuse to show their faces or federal ID and who do not have a judge’s signed warrant for an arrest, nor are they charged with criminal violation, and that if taken, may end up in Sudan, El Salvador, Libya or anywhere else, two city councilors want to send a clear message that Holyoke is not a sanctuary city. It is a designation that means that local authorities will not call on ICE to assist in arrests unless the person of interest in wanted for violent crime.
Holyoke has never been designated a “sanctuary city.” A recent article showed a list of cities and towns, including Holyoke, that Homeland Security deems as being sanctuary cities. Homeland Security was wrong and removed the list from public view.
Municipalities who are sanctuary cities has the wrath of Trump, who has threatened to cut federal funds — taxpayer’s money — from those communities for items such as school lunches, sidewalk and roads repairs, etc.
Many people who live in Western Massachusetts that work in the agricultural field, in landscaping, in kitchen and other low-paying jobs do not have a legal status to be in the United States. As far back as 1987, when then Republican President Ronald Reagan granted amnesty to many immigrants and strengthened laws and criminal charges against employers who knowingly hired immigrants without a legal status.
Motion to remove any reference that deems Holyoke a Sanctuary City, because it is not.
The current anti-immigrant climate is especially ironic given that the United States grew to become a superpower, the sciences, medicine, military and economic sense thanks immigrants. The only natives in this country are members of dozens of indigenous nations across the country.
Everyone agrees that violent offenders need to be processed into prisons and out of the country of they are here illegally.
Back in 2004 then Vermont Gov. Howard Dean predicted that the Republicans would make issue with immigration, even as twice since then bipartisan members of Congress had developed a plan to satisfy both sides — and upset both sides as well. Even GOP President George W.Bush pushed for stronger borders and logical system for foreigners to enter the United States. Indeed, in 2007 Sen. Ted Kennedy railed against the US Customs police for arresting hundreds of working mothers in a raid that left hundreds of children without an adult at home.
But with the rise of hateful vitriol in combination with the weak-willed counter-arguments, President Trump revived an issue that has galvanized prejudice against a people who are for the most part, law-abiding, tax-paying and peaceful.
A motion presented by Councilor Kevin Jourdain and Linda Vacon would remove any reference to the city being a santuacty city from all government paperwork. The motion now goes to the council’s Development and Governmental Relations Committee.
The documents and agenda for this City Council meeting can be read here.
