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News Mar 01, 2017
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Dozens of undocumented immigrants courageously took to the streets on Monday in an attempt to inspire change. – Photo by Terry Miller
Fear and Anxiety Palpable Within Council Chambers
By Gus Herrera
Scores of peaceful protesters marched from the community job center to city hall on Monday afternoon and their message was clear: Pasadena must not cooperate with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE).
Hundreds of individuals (legal citizens and undocumented alike), educators, leaders of faith communities, and representatives from various organizations stood united in support of the countless immigrant families who have been living in desperate fear since the new federal administration became a reality.
This local mobilization, which flooded the council chambers and delivered hours of powerful, heartfelt testimony gained momentum a few weeks ago, when City Manager Steve Mermell rejected a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would have obligated the Pasadena Police Department to comply with ICE operations. The MOU was originally supported by Police Chief Phillip Sanchez who was noticeably absent from Monday’s meeting.
Mayor Terry Tornek assured the people that the issue will indeed be agendized, possibly as soon as the next council meeting. – Photo by Terry Miller
The National Day Laborers Organizing Network, who were responsible for organizing Monday’s demonstration, were not marching empty-handed – the group advocated a proposal titled the “Pasadena Police Department Immigration Status and Bias Free Policing Policy” that aims to secure “complete disentanglement from ICE,” in the words of Civil Rights Attorney Dale Gronemeier.
More than 40 speakers took to the podium during public comment. Although the speakers came from all walks of life and represented multiple colors and creeds, two predominant themes arose: families, specifically children, are living in fear and those elected to represent the people must show the same courage displayed by the immigrants who defy their illegal status and go to work every day in order to provide their children with America’s greatest resource: opportunity.
One Pasadena City College (PCC) professor revealed that “undocumented students are scared and many have not returned for Spring semester.” In response, the teachers of PCC, an institution with hundreds of undocumented students, recently authored a resolution to deem the school a “safe place.” The resolution will now go to the school board for approval.
The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) similarly passed a resolution declaring all school sites as “safe zones” for immigrant students, but families are still burdened with anxiety.
“These kids are having a hard time getting through this term without dealing with some level of turmoil,” proclaimed one PUSD Board Member.
“I have seen students on a daily basis whose parents aren’t even undocumented fearing … [It is] very difficult as an educator to the day-to-day work in general, on top of the fear,” said another teacher.
Not only are undocumented individuals hesitant to attend school, they are even afraid to seek basic medical assistance. “We condemn immigration raids that obstruct immigrants from receiving the care they deserve … no one’s health or wellbeing should be compromised because of their immigration status,” said a representative from Planned Parenthood.
Speakers challenged council to take action, “I see the courage in the families that are here today … I’m here to tell the city council that you too can be courageous. I am here to let you know that we will stand with you, if you stand with us,” said Lizbeth Mateo, who is undocumented and recently received a law degree.
Rabbi Jonathan Klein urged council members to disregard their personal political agendas, “It needs to be agendized as soon as possible … maybe some of us are waiting because there’s an election … I can’t think of anything more urgent than thinking of how we are going to protect our local communities from a federal government that is out of control … this is bipartisan … it is about a government that has gone awry. If not now, when?”
Mayor Terry Tornek expressed his gratitude towards all the speakers and assured that action will be taken, “we will agendize this item very soon, potentially at our next meeting … then determine if council will take any action.”
But Tornek also reminded everyone that federal orders will supersede any city legislation, “regardless of what we do, we cannot exclude any federal officers from doing their duty.”
Although uncertainty still looms at the federal level, Monday’s demonstration revealed that the people of Pasadena will stand for equality and justice.
On a night of long-winded and passionate testimony, one undocumented immigrant, speaking in Spanish and proudly donning a Mexican National Soccer Team jersey, may have put it best, “We are all America … maybe we can’t change the entire country, but we can start with this city. The decision is yours.”
