--------- . OH. GOOD MORNING FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS ERIN MURPHY, AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND I
AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON STRONG WOMEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. TODAY IS MARCH 10TH, 2025 AND IT IS 10:02 A.M.. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED
. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DOT GOV SLASH CITY DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964.
WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT CC AT WFC AT BOSTON.COM AND WILL BE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE CHAMBER WHO WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY AT THE END YOU WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES AND YOU CAN SIGN
IN AT THE DOOR. LET'S SEE. SO TODAY'S HEARING THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IS DOCKET 0393. MESSAGE AN ORDER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $2,563,236 IN $0.28 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FBI 25
STATE ELDER LUNCH PROGRAM GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASS. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE EIGHT STRONG COMMISSION. THE GRANT WILL FUND NUTRITION SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS IN
THE CITY OF BOSTON AT A RATE OF $7.39 PER MEAL FOR UP TO 3000 503,000 358,679 MEALS. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY
MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 20 FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025. SO I AM HERE ALONE. THAT IS OKAY BECAUSE I HAVE THE
EIGHT SHRUNKEN MACHINE WITH ME. WE DO HAVE TWO ABSENT LETTERS ONE FROM COUNCILOR WORRELL WHO TOLD US HE WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND AND ONE FROM COUNCILOR FLYNN THAT I ALSO
WILL JUST READ INTO THE RECORD BECAUSE I KNOW HE HAS BEEN MAKING MUCH NEEDED VISITS DOWN TO WASHINGTON TO ADVOCATE FOR CUTS TO OUR VETERANS BENEFITS. SO HE IS ON A PLANE COMING BACK
SO HE'LL MAKE THE AFTERNOON MEETING BUT HE DID WRITE A LETTER. DEAR CHAIR MURPHY PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S HEARING ON
DOCKET 0393A GRANT FOR THE FBI 25 STOUT STATE ELDER LUNCH PROGRAM I AM IN WASHINGTON DC TO ATTEND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CONFERENCES AND TO DISCUSS AND ADVOCATE AGAINST RECENT CUTS BY THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION TO VARIOUS PROGRAMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS MATTER AND IT WAS SIGNED BY ED FLYNN AND WE ARE JOINED BY MY CO-CHAIR
COUNCILOR BREADON. GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? SO DO YOU WANT ANY OPENING REMARKS? NO.
I JUST THINK THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. YEAH. NO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I WAS JUST SAYING THERE WAS TWO ABSENT LETTERS FROM WHERE L AND FLYNN IN YOUR HAIR AND SO WE CAN START.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS EITHER, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING HOW THIS WILL BE ADMINISTERED AND HOW IT WILL SUPPORT OUR SENIORS SO YOU CAN START. THANK YOU. WONDERFUL. WELL, THANKS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU AND ALL YOU DO FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY. I'M HERE WITH MELISSA CARLSON
WHO'S OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS AND AMONG OTHER THINGS, MELISSA OVERSEES THE TEAM THAT PROVIDES OUR PROGRAMMATIC OVERSIGHT AND MONITORING FOR OUR ELDER
NUTRITION PROGRAM. AND I WANT TO POINT OUT WE HAVE OUR NUTRITION MANAGER HERE WITH US AS WELL MAY FORBES, WHO JOINED US WITHIN THE PAST YEAR
MAYBE WITHIN THE PAST SIX MONTHS OR SO AND WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE TO HAVE MAVE ON BOARD WITH US. SO THIS GRANT IS STATE FUNDING
THAT COMES TO US AND ACTUALLY THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE SINCE WE SUBMITTED IT. THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS IS NOW THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF AGING AND
INDEPENDENCE. THEY CHANGED THEIR CHANGE, THEIR NAME AND SO IT COMES TO US THROUGH AGE IS WHAT THEY'RE
GOING BY AND IS ONE PART OF OUR THREE SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM. WE ALSO GET ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT TITLE THREE AND
THE NUTRITION SERVICES INCENTIVE PROGRAM AND THERE IS ALSO $300,000 IN CITY FUNDING THAT GOES INTO KIND OF THE MIX OF THE MONEY THAT GOES OUT THROUGH US.
WE HAVE TWO PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WHICH OPERATE THE ELDER NUTRITION PROGRAM ETHOS AND THE GREATER BOSTON CHINESE GOLDEN AGE CENTER AND THE THREE
SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT COME THROUGH US ARE THEN COMBINED WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER FUNDING THAT COMES DIRECTLY TO THOSE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE UP THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
SO OUR FUNDING MAKES UP ABOUT A THIRD OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM. THE OVERALL ELDER NUTRITION PROGRAM HAS FIVE DIFFERENT PARTS TO IT HOME DELIVERED MEALS, CONGREGATE MEALS SO
THERE ARE ACTUALLY 44 SITES IN BOSTON WHERE PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 60 CAN EAT FOR A SUGGESTED DONATION OF $2
NUTRITION, EDUCATION, NUTRITION ASSESSMENT AND NUTRITION COUNSELING AND THERE ARE 11 DIFFERENT MEAL TYPES THAT OLDER ADULTS CAN CHOOSE FROM THAT
HELP TO MEET THE THE CULTURAL AND DIETARY NEEDS OF OUR OLDER POPULATION. JUST ONE THING TO FLAG FOR FOLKS THE FUNDING THROUGH US HASN'T HAD AN OVERALL DECREASE
. IT HAD AN OVERALL DECREASE IN FY 24 AND WE ANTICIPATE ADDITIONAL DECREASES IN FEDERAL FUNDING THIS YEAR. OKAY. SO HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS
YOU HAVE. NO, THANK YOU. THAT WAS A GOOD OVERSIGHT. THIS COMES THROUGH THE STATE BUT THEY GET IT FROM THE FEDERAL. NO, THIS IS THE OTHER PART OF THE THIRD.
THIS IS ONE PART OF THE THREE SOURCES THAT COME THROUGH US AND IT THERE'S A STATE FUNDING SOURCE FROM US. SO THIS COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE BUDGET AND THEN THERE ARE
TWO FEDERAL SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT COME TO US. DO YOU KNOW YET OR ARE YOU WHAT ARE YOU ANTICIPATING THE CUT TO BE FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL? I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
WE HAD A WE HAD AN OVERALL DECREASE OF ABOUT 880,000 LAST YEAR AND I DON'T KNOW I I MEAN
I GUESS WE'LL SEE. WE KNOW THAT WE'RE WAITING ON OUR CONTRACT. WE'RE WAITING ON OUR CONTRACTS. WE'RE WAITING ON OUR FOR OUR FEDERAL CONTRACTS.
SO WE'RE WAITING ON OUR AT THE END TIP NATIONAL THE NUTRITION SERVICES INCENTIVE PROGRAM THE STATE IS WAITING ON FROM THE FEDS AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S
GOING TO BE A DECREASE AND WE'RE UNCLEAR ABOUT OLDER AMERICANS ACT FUNDING. SO I GUESS WE SHOULD KNOW MORE. MAYBE WE WILL KNOW A LITTLE BIT
MORE BY THE END OF MARCH. OKAY. YOU MENTIONED THE TWO PARTNERS. DO THEY DELIVER ALL OF THE MEALS OR EVEN THOSE IN IS THE CHINESE GOLDEN AGE THE LOCATION
IN BRIGHTON THAT IS MORE THAN ONE SPOT. YES. SO SO THE WAY THAT THEY WORK IS CHINESE NEED TO ACTUALLY COOK
THEIR OWN MEALS. THEY DELIVER THEIR OWN MEALS AND THEY HAVE THEY HAVE THREE CONGREGATE SITES, ONE OF WHICH
IS THEIR PROGRAM IN BRIGHTON AND THEN THEY HAVE TO CONGREGATE SITES IN IN CHINATOWN, CORRECT? YEAH. AND THEN ETHOS ACTUALLY
CONTRACTS OUT TO PARTNERS SO THEY HAVE THREE PARTNERS THAT THEY CONTRACT OUT WITH WITH OUR FUNDING WHICH IS SPINELLIS CITY
FRESH FOODS AND EMILY'S FOOD SERVICE AND THEN ETHAN DOES SOME OF THE DELIVERY THEMSELVES AND THEIR PARTNERS DO SOME OF THE DELIVERY AS WELL AND THEN IT'S COMBINED WITH LOTS
OF OTHER THINGS. IT'S LIKE ONE BIG PUZZLE OF ELDER NUTRITION. WE ENJOYED SPINELLIS ON SUNDAY. YES, YES, YES. THEY DO A GREAT JOB. SO WE CONTRACT OUT WITH THOSE
WHO THEN CONTRACT SO WITH OTHER AGENCIES. EXACTLY. EXACTLY. AND IT IS EXCITING THAT WE HAVE A NUTRITIONIST IT SEEMS LIKE A NEW POSITION OR FINALLY PHIL TO
JUST EXPLAIN CAUSE THAT'S GREAT. AND I'M WONDERING TOO WHEN YOU SAID THERE'S 11 DIFFERENT FOOD OPTIONS, CAN THE DIFFERENT SITES LIKE ORDER SPECIFIC LIKE HOW DO YOU GAUGE THE NUMBERS TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH FOR EACH DIFFERENT NEED OR TYPE? YEAH, I WILL I WILL ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION AND I HAVE MELISSA ANSWER THE SECOND
QUESTION BUT THE THE FIRST QUESTION SO THIS IS A POSITION THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A WHILE BUT IT IS A POSITION THAT HAD OUR
JOB DESCRIPTION REWRITE AND REGRADE WHEN WE DID OUR WHEN WE DID OUR WHOLE REORGANIZATION AND BENCHMARKING SO IT WAS WAITING TO BE FILLED FOR A
WHILE AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED IT'S FILLED NOW. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN YOUR QUESTION ABOUT CAN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CONGREGATE SITES ORDER THE DIFFERENT MEALS THAT ARE
PROVIDED AND YES, EXCEPT FOR THE THREE THAT CHINESE SCHOOL NATURE CENTER RUN TO THEM THEY'LL DO THEIR TRADITIONAL CANTONESE MEALS THERE BUT EVERYONE ELSE HAS THE OPTION OF ORDERING.
OKAY, AWESOME. THANK YOU. I WILL PASS IT OFF TO MY CO-CHAIR. GOOD MORNING. GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.
I THINK ONE OF IT'S REALLY GOOD TO KNOW THAT WITH THE THE NUTRITIONAL POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED AND THAT WE'RE SERVING SO MANY SUCH A WIDE RANGE
OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND WONDERFUL DIVERSITY AND WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT FOOD FOOD PREFERENCES WITH REGARD TO OUR CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. SO IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE THAT
. YOU SAID LAST YEAR THE DECREASE WAS 800,000. WAS IT A PARTICULAR REASON WHY IT WAS DECREASED LAST YEAR? THE STEAK AT A LARGE CUT IN THE
SEP PROGRAM AND I'M NOT 100% CLEAR I THINK I THINK THAT ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCE IS
DISTRIBUTED OUT TO STATES BY FORMULA AND MY GUESS IS THAT THE I I, I DON'T KNOW 100% BUT MY GUESS IS THAT THE 2020 CENSUS NUMBERS KICKED IN AND
WHILE OUR POPULATION IS INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY THERE ARE SOME OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA THAT ARE ARE INCREASING EVEN
FASTER WITH OUR OLDER ADULTS. SO I THINK THAT MAY HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. YEAH. AND AND YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THE 2020 CENSUS WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE THE
ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON KEPT MOVING THE GOALPOSTS AND TELL US ALL YOU CAN DO THIS. I THINK WE HAD WE ESTIMATE WE PROBABLY UNDERCOUNTED THE POPULATION OF BOSTON BY ABOUT 20,000. YEAH THEY DO THINK THAT THE
OLDER ADULT COUNT WAS WAS WAS A PRETTY ACCURATE ONE. SO I GUESS I GUESS THAT'S A GOOD THING. YEAH, BUT BUT YES I MEAN I MEAN
I WOULD GUESS THAT THERE WERE CHALLENGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH THAT. YEAH. VERY GOOD. AND THEN WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW.
THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET OR WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. YEAH. AND FROM FEDERAL FUNDING THIS YEAR GOING FORWARD AND ARE WE THINKING ABOUT CONTINGENCIES TO
HOW TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IF WE DON'T GET THAT FEDERAL FUNDING? YEAH, I MEAN I THINK THE STATE IS THINKING ABOUT IT AT A AT A STATEWIDE LEVEL AND THE PROGRAM
IS EVEN THOUGH WE MANAGE THE PROGRAM HERE IN BOSTON, THE WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE WHO HAS IT NUTRITION DIRECTOR AT THE STATE AND
BECAUSE IT'S TIED INTO SO MANY OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ALSO HAVE HAD THAT ALSO ARE UNDERFUNDED.
THE STATE HAS STARTED SOME MANAGED INTAKES AND CHANGING THE WAY THAT THEY'RE GIVING THAT THEY'RE ALLOWING.
I OUR COMMUNITY THE COMMUNITY FOLKS LIKE THE ACE UPS WHO ARE APPROVING THESE NUTRITION MEALS THEY'RE CHANGING THEIR THEY'RE CHANGING SOME OF THE WAY THAT THEY'RE ALLOWING NEW PEOPLE TO
COME IN AND THEY'RE CHANGING THE WAY THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT ELIGIBILITY AND THEY'RE CHANGING THE WAY THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO A LOT MORE WORK
WITH MAKING SURE THAT ANY MEALS THAT ARE ORDERED ARE ACTUALLY MEALS THAT ARE USED. AND SO KIND OF CUTTING DOWN ON POTENTIALLY ANY WASTE IN THE PROGRAM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
MM HMM. AND IS THERE MORE TO THAT THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO? NOT YET. YEAH. IT'S ALL KIND OF A WORK IN PROGRESS IS WHAT I WOULD SAY.
AND IT'S NOT ONLY MEALS IT'S ALSO A LOT OF THE IN-HOME SERVICES. SO THEY'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT EVERYTHING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE MANAGE IT ALL WITH LESS MONEY THAN IS
ACTUALLY NEEDED. THANK YOU. AND IT'S VERY CONCERNING SITUATION AND I KNOW YOU'VE PUT IN LOTS OF CAREFUL THOUGHT INTO HOW WE MIGHT MANAGE THIS GOING FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO. OKAY. THANK YOU. I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP ON THAT ALSO HOPEFULLY WE HAVE MORE ANSWERS BEFORE YOU COME INTO US FOR THE BUDGET.
BUT THE FOOD AND THE NUTRITION IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE MANY OF OUR SENIORS RELY ON THAT. IT'S TRUE, CORRECT? YES. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE FULLY FUNDING THIS PROGRAM THAT A LOT OF SENIORS RELY ON FOR THEIR NUTRITION. YEAH. THANK YOU. WE WERE WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE 300,000 IN CITY DOLLARS
THAT GOES INTO THIS. IT DIDN'T IT WASN'T ALWAYS WE DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE A CITY FUNDING STREAM GOING IN AND WE WERE ABLE TO ADD THAT MAYBE
EIGHT YEARS AGO ISH AND THE CITY'S BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF MAINTAIN THAT IN THE BUDGET WHICH I THINK IS IS YOU KNOW, ANY ANY LITTLE BIT IS HELPFUL
FOR FOR FOR THIS PROGRAM. SO YEAH VERY IMPORTANT. YEAH. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR US? I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK WE JUST APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR INTEREST IN THIS AND ALL YOU DO FOR OUR OLDER RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, THANK YOU AND I KNOW
I'M SPEAKING FOR BOTH OF US WHEN THE BUDGET SEASON COMES WE'LL BE ADVOCATING STRONGLY FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT MAKING SURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED BECAUSE YOU DO A WONDERFUL JOB AROUND THE CITY.
SO THANK YOU. THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 0393 IS ADJOURNE Part: 2
FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS HENRY SANTANA AT LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. TODAY IS MARCH 10TH, 2025.
THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DOT GOV SLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCASTED ON INFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN
CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL NINE TAKES FOR RAIN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL ASKS. P.S. BOSTON GOV. AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE
RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS BY THE FALL TO BE MADE PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THE HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2
MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL A
CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON. SHANE PAC SHANE DART PAC BOSS AND BACKUP FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET
NUMBER 0128. COMMUNICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM THE POLICE COMMISSIONER MICHAEL COX IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION THREE OF THE BOSTON TRUST ACT REGARDING CIVIL IMMIGRATION
DETAINER RESULTS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2024. THIS MATTER WAS A REPORT OF A PUBLIC OFFICER AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 8TH DOCKET NUMBER 0414 ORDER FOR A
HEARING TO ORDER THE IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 2014 BOSTON TRUST ACT. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS JULIA MARIA RUSSI LOUIJEUNE AND ENRIQUE PEPEN AND
WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR ASHLYN CASTRO, MBK
POPE AND COUNCILOR JOHN FITZGERALD COUNCILOR AARON MURPHY, COUNCILOR MARIA AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT RUFUS LOUIJEUNE. BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO MY
COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR A QUICK OPENING REMARKS I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO REVEREND MARION WHITE HAMMOND WHO IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY WHO WILL LEAD US IN
THE GROUNDING. REVEREND MARIANO HAMMOND DO WE DO WE HAVE YOU? YES, I'M HERE. CAN YOU SEE ME? YEAH, WE CAN HEAR IT. WE CAN HEAR YOU. WE CAN SEE YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU. I WANT TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT TODAY IS THE
DAY THAT IN 1913 HARRIET TUBMAN CROSSED OVER FROM THIS LIFE INTO THE NEXT. AND SO I JUST THINK IT IS WORTH
REMINDING OURSELVES OF THE DEEP HISTORY OF OUR NATION AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO SACRIFICED TO BRING US TO THIS MOMENT.
AND SO I ALSO ASK THAT WE ENTER A POSTURE OF PRAYER AND OFTEN I FIND MYSELF IN THIS MOMENT SPEECHLESS AS THINGS THAT ARE
HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY AND MY WORLD AT TIMES MAKE ME WONDER WHAT MOMENT WE ARE IN. AND SO I WANT TO TAKE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TURN TO OUR SACRED SCRIPTURES. I RECOGNIZE THE SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE. BUT I CANNOT FORGET THAT ON
THIS DAY MANY OF OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE IN FASTING IN THE SEASON OF RAMADAN IN A TIME WHERE THEY TAKE TIME TO STOP AND REFLECT
TO REALLY ASK WHETHER THEY ARE LIVING THE LIVES THAT GOD CALLS THEM TO. AND IT IS A SEASON IN WHICH THEY ARE CALLED TO TURN THEIR HEARTS BACK TO THOSE CENTRAL
TEACHINGS. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR JEWISH SIBLINGS ARE IN A SEASON WHERE THEY ARE PREPARING IN TWO DAYS TIME ON THURSDAY
NIGHT TO BEGIN THE FESTIVAL OF PURIM. AND I WILL READ A SCRIPTURE I RELATED TO THAT AND THEN FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN A SEASON
OF LENT WHERE WE DEEPLY LOOK AT THE LIFE AND TEACHING OF JESUS AS WE PREPARE FOR THE SEASON OF EASTER. AND SO I WILL NOT GIVE MY OWN
WORDS AS I USUALLY DO BUT JUST READ TWO PASSAGES FIRST FROM ESTHER AND THEN FROM LUKE. AND IT SAYS WHEN MORDECHAI
LEARNED OF ALL THAT HAD BEEN DONE HE TORE HIS CLOTHES, PUT ON SABBATH SACKCLOTH AND ASHES AND WALKED OUT INTO THE CITY WAILING LOUDLY AND BITTERLY.
BUT HE ONLY WENT AS FAR AS THE KING'S GATE BECAUSE NO ONE CLOTHED AND SACKCLOTH WAS ALLOWED TO ENTER IN AND IN EVERY PROVINCE IN WHICH THE EDICT AND THE ORDER OF THE KING CAME.
THERE WAS GREAT MOURNING AMONG THE JEWS WITH FASTING, WEEPING AND WAILING. MANY LAY IN SACKCLOTH AND ASHES WHEN ESTHER'S EUNUCHS AND
FEMALE ATTENDANTS CAME AND TOLD HER ABOUT MORDECHAI SHE WAS IN GREAT DISTRESS. SHE SAID CLOTHES FOR HIM TO PUT ON AND SET UP IN SACKCLOTH BUT HE WOULD NOT ACCEPT THEM.
THEN ESTHER SUMMONED HAVOC, ONE OF THE KING'S EUNUCHS ASSIGNED TO ATTEND TO HER AND ORDERED HIM TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS TROUBLING MORDECHAI AND WHY SO HAVOC WENT OUT TO MORDECHAI IN THE OPEN SQUARE OF THE CITY IN
FRONT OF THE KING'S GATE. MORDECHAI TOLD HIM EVERYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM INCLUDING THE EXACT AMOUNT OF MONEY HEYMANN HAD PROMISED TO PAY INTO THE ROYAL TREASURY
FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE JEWS . HE ALSO GAVE HIM A COPY OF THE TEXT OF THE EDICT FOR THEIR ANNIHILATION WHICH HAD BEEN PUBLISHED IN SUSA TO SHOW TO ESTHER AND EXPLAIN IT TO HER
AND HE TOLD HIM TO INSTRUCT HER TO GO INTO THE KING'S PRESENCE TO BEG FOR MERCY AND PLEAD WITH HIM FOR THE PEOPLE. CATHOLIC WENT BACK AND REPORTED TO ESTHER WHAT MORDECHAI HAD SAID.
THEN SHE INSTRUCTED HAPPY TO SAY TO MORDECHAI ALL THE KING'S OFFICIALS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE ROYAL PROVINCES NO THAT FOR ANY MAN OR WOMAN WHO APPROACHES THE KING AND THE INNER COURT
WITHOUT BEING SUMMONED, THE KING HAS BUT ONE LAW THAT THEY BE PUT TO DEATH UNLESS THE KING EXTENDS THE GOLD SCEPTER TO THEM AND SPARES THEIR LIVES.
BUT 30 DAYS HAVE PASSED SINCE I WAS CALLED TO GO TO THE KING WHEN ESTHER'S WORDS WERE REPORTED TO MORDECHAI, HE SAID BACK THIS ANSWER.
DO YOU NOT THINK THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE IN THE KING'S HOUSE YOU ALONE OF ALL THE JEWS WILL ESCAPE FOR IF YOU REMAIN SILENT AT THIS TIME?
RELIEF AND DELIVERANCE FOR THE JEWS WILL ARISE FROM ANOTHER PLACE. BUT YOU AND YOUR FATHERS FAMILY WILL PERISH AND WHO KNOWS BUT
THAT YOU HAVE COME TO YOUR ROYAL POSITION FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS. THEN ESTHER SENT THIS REPLY TO MORDECHAI GO GATHER TOGETHER
ALL THE JEWS WHO ARE IN SUSA AND FAST FOR ME. DO NOT EAT OR DRINK FOR THREE DAYS NIGHT OR DAY.
I AND MY ATTENDANTS WILL FAST AS YOU DO WHEN THIS IS DONE. I WILL GO TO THE KING EVEN
THOUGH IT IS AGAINST THE LAW AND IF I PERISH I PERISH. AND THEN IN LUKE TEN WE HEAR
THESE WORDS ON ONE OCCASION AN EXPERT IN THE LAW STOOD UP TO TESTIFY. THIS TEACHER HE ASKED WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE? WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW?
JESUS REPLIED HOW DO YOU READ IT? AND THE EXPERT SAID LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH AND
WITH ALL YOUR MIND AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. YOU HAVE ANSWERED CORRECTLY JESUS REPLIED DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE. BUT HE WANTED TO JUSTIFY
HIMSELF SO HE ASKED JESUS AND WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? IN REPLY JESUS SAID A MAN WAS GOING DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO WHEN HE WAS ATTACKED BY
ROBBERS. THEY STRIPPED HIM OF HIS CLOTHES, BEAT HIM AND WENT AWAY LEAVING HIM HALF DEAD. A PRIEST HAPPENED TO BE GOING DOWN THE SAME ROAD AND WHEN HE
SAW THE MAN HE PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO TO ONLY BY WHEN HE CAME TO THE PLACE AND SAW HIM PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE.
BUT A SAMARITAN AS HE TRAVELED CAME WITH A MAN WAS AND WHEN HE SAW HIM HE TOOK PITY ON HIM. HE WENT TO HIM AND BANDAGED HIS
WOUNDS POURING ON OIL AND WINE. THEN HE PUT THE MAN ON HIS OWN DONKEY, BROUGHT HIM TO AN INN AND TOOK CARE OF HIM. THE NEXT DAY HE TOOK OUT TWO DENARII AND GAVE THEM TO THE
INNKEEPER. LOOK AFTER HIM, HE SAID. AND WHEN I RETURN I WILL REIMBURSE YOU FOR ANY EXTRA EXPENSE YOU MAY HAVE.
WHICH OF THESE THREE DO YOU THINK WAS A NEIGHBOR TO THE MAN WHO FELL INTO THE HANDS OF ROBBERS? THE EXPERT IN THE LAW REPLIED
THE ONE WHO HAD MERCY ON HIM. JESUS TOLD HIM GO AND DO LIKEWISE. I KNOW THAT YOU WILL HEAR FROM
MANY PEOPLE AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE A COUNTRY WHERE THERE IS SEPARATION FROM CHURCH BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE AND YET I KNOW
THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THIS COUNTRY AND THE OF THIS CITY DREW THEIR PRINCIPLES FROM
THESE PASSAGES THAT I READ. I AS THE PRIEST AND THE STORY CANNOT PASS BY AND FOR MANY
OF YOU WHO ARE LEVITES, THOSE WHO ARE COMMUNITY LEADERS, THOSE WHO WERE ACTUALLY SOME OF THE SORT OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WITHIN THE JEWISH
CONTEXT. MY PRAYER FOR YOU IS THAT AS YOU SAY, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE ASKED TO DO AND ALL
OF THE CHALLENGES AND NUANCE OF GOVERNING SOME OF WHICH I KNOW WELL THAT YOU WILL NOT FORGET THESE TEACHINGS THE
SACRED ANCIENT TEACHINGS THAT APPLY SO WELL TO THE MOMENT THAT WE ARE IN. MY BLESSINGS OVER YOU ARE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, REVEREND Y HAMMOND. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU CALLING US INTO THIS HEARING.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD BEFORE WE HAVE SO JUST SOME ORDER OF OPERATIONS. I WANT TO GIVE A LOT OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES I'M STARTING
WITH THE LEAD SPONSOR TO GIVE BRIEF OPENING REMARKS. WE WILL THEN TRANSITION OVER TO THIS A FEW PUBLIC TESTIMONY BEFORE GOING ON TO OUR FIRST
PANEL FOR COSMOS TO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS SO WITH THAT I'LL TURN TO THE FLOOR OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER HERE WHO IS A LEAD SPONSOR ON THIS MATTER. COUNCILWOMAN, HERE YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE
TO BE HEARD AND GIVING MARIAMA WHAT? HAMMOND AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROUND US IN THIS WORK. SO TODAY WE'RE NOT HERE TO DEBATE WHETHER THE BOSTON TRUST
ACT SHOULD EXIST BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT SHOULD. INSTEAD WE ARE HERE PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR LEADERS ACROSS EDUCATION, RELIGION AND BUSINESS LEADERS AND ACROSS ALL
SECTORS TO SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS ON HOW FEDERAL AND LOCAL POLICIES ARE IMPACTING IMMIGRANT THE LOVED ONES WHO ARE IN TURN SHAPING BOSTON'S CULTURAL IDENTITY, THE ECONOMY
AND OVERALL THE QUALITY OF LIFE . WE'VE HEARD FROM FOLKS THAT ARE THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING FEAR ARE NOT ACCESSING HEALTH CARE. THEY'RE NOT SENDING THEIR
CHILDREN TO SCHOOLS. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WORK. AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS CENTER FOR THE REALITY OF THIS
CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT WE KNOW THIS MOMENT IS CALLING FOR US TO DO AND IS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE TRUST ACT IN A LARGER CONTEXT OF SPACES AND PLACES.
AND SO I WANTED TO JUST GROUND US IN THAT KNOWING THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE AS A COMMUNITY TO REALLY HELP OUR COLLEAGUES UNDERSTAND WHAT
FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING. AND THE HOPE IS IS THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THE BOSTON TRUST ACT CLEARLY DEFINES THE ROLE OF THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IN RELATION TO ACS ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
OPERATIONS AND HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS DIVISIONS. LET'S DISPEL SOME OF SOME OF THESE MYTHS AND SO WE GO INTO THIS HEARING ON THE SAME
PAGE AND WE'RE ALL OPERATING FROM A PREMISE BASED ON THE FACTS, NOT MISINFORMATION. THE TRUST ACT DOES ALLOW THE BPD TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE ON CRITICAL PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES
INCLUDING HUMAN TRAFFICKING, CHILD EXPLOITATION, DRUG AND WEAPONS TRAFFICKING, CYBER AND CYBER CRIMES. HOWEVER, IT PREVENTS IT FROM CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
AS WE MOVE IN THIS HEARING. I URGE EVERYONE TO LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF THE LEADERS WHO WITNESSED THESE IMPACTS FIRSTHAND. IMMIGRANTS LIVE, WORK AND PRACTICE THEIR FAITH AND BUILD
THEIR LIVES IN BOSTON. THESE LEADERS UNDERSTAND HOW THE LACK OF CLEAR ACCESSIBLE LEGAL INFORMATION AFFECTS OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN THEIR DAILY
QUALITY OF LIFE AND ULTIMATELY WITHIN OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS. SO LET'S TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM THEIR EXPERIENCES AND ENSURE OUR POLICIES REFLECT THE REALITIES THAT WE SEE ON
THE GROUND. AND SO YOU WILL SEE THAT OUR TESTIMONY FOLKS ARE SET UP FROM DIFFERENT AREAS OF EXPERIENCES AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO
DO. AND LISTEN, I BELIEVE I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE GOING TO READ INTO THE RECORD HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. IT WAS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE
MAYOR WENT TO D.C. AND DID AN AMAZING JOB IN STANDING UP FOR IMMIGRANTS AND STANDING IN SOLIDARITY. WE WERE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AFFIRMING THE WORK
THAT SHE WAS DOING ON BEHALF OF OUR UNDOCUMENTED LOVED ONES . AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE WITH THAT AS WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
THE TRUST ACT IS WORKING AND WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO IS UNDERSTAND THE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND OUTSIDE OF WHAT ALREADY EXISTS BY LAW.
SO I WANTED TO JUST MAKE THAT REALLY CLEAR AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO READ SOMETHING INTO THE RECORD. I THINK IT COMES TO ME I WILL
AFTER MY COLLEAGUES GIVE THE OPENING REMARKS I WILL READ THE LETTER THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO THE RECORD. SO THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. ME I'M GOING TO NOW GO TO THE OTHER LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN
I'M GOING TO GO OUT TO THE MY OTHER COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. I'M GOING TO PUT 3 MINUTES ON SO I JUST TRY TO MAKE A QUICK OPENING REMARK. BUT COUNCIL PRESIDENT SOUTER'S
AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO COUNSELOR MEJIA FOR FILING THIS. I WON'T NEED 2 MINUTES. I WILL SAY THAT THE TRUST ACT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S DOING EXACTLY WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO THE TRUST BUILDING THAT
TRUST BETWEEN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES WHO ARE HERE AND WHO ARE RESIDENTS WHO ARE OUR NEIGHBORS AND WHO ARE PROVIDING EVERY DAY FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND CONTRIBUTING TO OUR ECONOMY PAYING TAXES.
AND IT JUST CLARIFIES THAT OUR OFFICERS THAT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE FOCUSED ON LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DOESN'T PROHIBIT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM DOING THEIR JOB. IT JUST CLARIFIES WHAT OUR JOB
IS. AND I WANT TO ECHO LAST WEEK THERE WAS A GREAT SHOWING OF SOLIDARITY WITH OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES LAST WEDNESDAY HERE AT CITY HALL AS OUR MAYOR TESTIFIED ON THE REASONS WHY WE ARE THE LARGEST
WE ARE THE SAFEST BIG CITY AND IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A CITY WHERE EVERYONE FEELS LIKE THEY BELONG AND WHERE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE WORKING ON THEIR BEHALF. AND SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TO GIVE TESTIMONY AND
THE ADVOCATES. I THINK THERE'S STILL WORK FOR US TO DO IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE WHENEVER THERE ARE INTERACTIONS WITH FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOWING THAT THERE'S A DISTINCTION BETWEEN OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND FEDERAL AGENTS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE BECAUSE I STILL THINK THAT THERE'S MORE WORK FOR US TO DO IN TERMS OF EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT PRESENTS TO BE VERY CHALLENGING AND I WANT TO THANK THIS BODY THAT
LAST DECEMBER UNANIMOUSLY AFFIRMED REAFFIRMED THE TRUST ACT AND OUR COMMITMENT AS A BODY AND ALONGSIDE THE MAYOR TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS FEEL SAFE.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. AT THIS TIME I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCILOR DURKAN. WITH THAT I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO THE THIRD CO-SPONSOR
COUNCILOR PREPARED FOR YOUR OPENING REMARKS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. TODAY I STRONGLY HEAR CONTINUE TO SUPPORT WHAT IS THE BOSTON TRUST ACT AND EVERYTHING THAT IT STANDS FOR.
I'M ALSO THANKFUL THAT WE GET TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM POLICE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK ON THE GROUND EVERY SINGLE DAY. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF JOINING SOME OF YOU LAST WEEK FOR THAT
STAND IN SOLIDARITY ON WEDNESDAY WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO SEE A LOT OF FOLKS COME TOGETHER AND SHOW THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT BOSTON CONTINUES TO BE THAT SAFE CITY FOR THEM.
AND WHAT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET OUT OF TODAY IS THAT THE BOARD CITY OF BOSTON IS A GREAT CITY. AS THE MAYOR SAID, NOT IN SPITE OF OUR IMMIGRANTS BUT IT'S
BECAUSE OF OUR IMMIGRANTS AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN BOSTON IS VERY UNIQUE BECAUSE WE ARE SHOWING THE REST OF THE COUNTRY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE
BUT AT THE SAME TIME SHOWING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS A COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY SHOULD FEEL SAFE TO DO THAT AS WELL. SO I'M HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE ABLE TO ELEVATE THAT MESSAGE AND SHOW THAT THE BOSTON TRUST ACT WORKS. NOW WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SHOW THE REST OF THE COUNTRY WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN BOSTON AND TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF HOW
EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS HAS BEEN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PIPPEN.
COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. MEJIA FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING ALONG WITH THE OTHER SPONSORS
AS WELL. I JUST RETURNED FROM A NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND AND MET WITH CITY OFFICIALS FROM AROUND THE
COUNTRY AND WE DISCUSSED AND ADVOCATED AGAINST FEDERAL CUTS TO VARIOUS PROGRAMS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT ON ON THE CITY OF BOSTON
INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY IF FEDERAL GRANTS ARE CUT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE APPROVED GRANTS FOR 13,000,011 MILLION. THEY ARE PROVIDED FUNDING FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY NOT ONLY FOR HERE IN BOSTON BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT GREATER BOSTON AS WELL. CUTS TO FEDERAL PUBLIC SAFETY GRANTS WILL HAMPER THE ABILITY OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS. POLITICS SHOULD NOT BE A CONSIDERATION WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. BOSTON IS A CITY OF IMMIGRANTS. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COMPASSIONATE AND WELCOMING TO
THOSE IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LIFE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES. I'M PROUD THAT MAYOR FLYNN BUILT THE IMMIGRANT GATEWAY MEMORIAL OUTSIDE ON CONGRESS
STREET AND MAY HAVE ALSO STARTED THE IMMIGRATION RIGHTS UNIT WHICH IS NOW THE OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT. WE DON'T WANT TO HARM NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR
GENERATIONS AND PART OF THE COMMUNITY WORKING DIFFICULT JOBS IN OUR KITCHENS AND HOTELS PAYING LOCAL TAXES. WE ALSO WANT THEM TO FEEL SAFE TO REPORT CRIMES AND AT THE
SAME TIME IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR CITY IN OUR RESIDENTS WHEN IT COMES TO SERIOUS AND VIOLENT CRIMES AS WELL. IT IS CRITICAL AND I THINK WE
ALL AGREE THAT WHEN SOMEONE COMMITS A CRIME REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS THAT WE DON'T STAND IN THE WAY OF JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIM, THE SURVIVOR OR THEIR FAMILY.
WE MUST RESPECT THE RULE OF LAW AND SOCIETY IN OUR NEIGHBORS. BOSTON POLICE MUST ALWAYS COOPERATE AND WORK CLOSELY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS ON
VIOLENT AND SERIOUS CRIMES SUCH AS HUMAN TRAFFICKING, CHILD EXPLOITATION, DRUG AND WEAPONS TRAFFICKING, CYBERCRIME PIMPS AS IT RELATES TO THE OTHER DR.
A NUMBER THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED. MR CHAIR, AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION THERE WAS A LARGE DISCREPANCY IN THE DETAINER REQUESTS NUMBERS. BOSTON POLICE SAID IT WAS 15
WHILE THE IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT SAID IT WAS AROUND 198. IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR BODY IN THE PUBLIC ARE PROVIDED WITH
CLARIFICATION. I HOPE WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT CLARIFICATION TODAY. THAT'S WHY I HAVE A SEPARATE HEARING ORDER ON THAT ISSUE. IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE GET BOSTON POLICE STATE FEDERAL
PARTNERS ON THE SAME PAGE WITH A POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING VIOLENT AND SERIOUS OFFENSES THAT IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCIL FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR. HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY AND LISTEN TO THE PANELS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE BOSTON TRUST
ACT HAS EITHER AFFECTED OR WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY AND UNDERSTAND YOUR EXPERIENCES ON THE GROUND IN DEALING WITH IT. ALSO THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ON WHAT THE
BOSTON TRUST DOES OR DOES NOT DO SO I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU ALL HELPING US CLARIFY WHAT EXACTLY IT DOES AND DOES NOT DO BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S AGAIN PEOPLE HAVE A MISINTERPRETATION ABOUT
THAT AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND VERY MUCH WHAT THIS DOES. THE TRUST ACT DOES HELP BUILD TRUST BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, MAKING IT MORE LIKELY THAT PEOPLE WILL WORK WITH THE
POLICE, NOT HIDE FROM THEM. WHEN RESIDENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS FEEL SAFE REPORTING CRIMES, IT MAKES OUR ENTIRE CITY SAFER. WE'VE LONG BEEN A CITY THAT WELCOMES IMMIGRANTS.
I THINK THIS ACT REAFFIRMS THAT COMMITMENT WHILE MAKING SURE OUR POLICE CAN DO THEIR JOBS EFFECTIVELY. SO I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO STAND BY POLICIES THAT PROMOTE THAT COLLABORATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOUR ALL EXPERIENCES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THIS HEARING. THANK YOU FOR THE PANELISTS. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THE PANELISTS. I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE
ADMINISTRATION HERE. IS THAT TRUE? CHAIR YES, THAT IS CORRECT. BUT ARE WE DOING BOTH DOCKETS EVEN IF ONE OF THE DOCKETS
WOULD HAVE NEEDED ADMINISTRATION OR ARE WE JUST FOCUSING ON ONE BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR WITH MY OPENING STATEMENT. SO I WANTED TO PASS IT OVER TO THE LEAD SPONSOR CUSTOMER HERE TO MAKE SURE I WOULD BE MORE
THAN HAPPY TO HEAR THAT ANSWER. WE DECIDED TO IN THE INTEREST OF MAKING SURE THAT WE GROUND OURSELVES IN COMMUNITY AS IT RELATES TO THE TRUST ACT BECAUSE THE GOAL IS FOR US TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN IT. WHAT WE WANT DO IS CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PANELISTS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE IN
OTHER SPACES AND AS IT RELATES TO THE ADMINISTRATION, WE'RE GOING TO READING A LETTER INTO THE RECORD IN REGARDS TO HOW
IT'S WORKING AND IN AND WHAT ARE THE AREAS OF, YOU KNOW, PAIN POINTS IF THERE ARE ANY THAT IS GOING TO BE DISCUSSED AT A LATER DATE. OKAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR THAT
CLARIFICATION. SO I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME. I KNOW GROWING UP HERE 55 YEARS HERE IN THE CITY AND I LOVE AS AN AT LARGE COUNCIL OF VISITING ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS
THE CITY WE'RE A CITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT'S THE RICH DIVERSE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES THAT REALLY MAKE OUR CITY STRONG. AND WHEN YOU GO ACROSS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, STREETS, SHOPS,
BUSINESSES YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A RICH CITY BECAUSE OF OUR IMMIGRANTS, RIGHT? I'M A GRANDDAUGHTER OF FOUR IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME HERE FROM IRELAND OVER 100 YEARS AGO. WE'RE ALSO A CITY THAT I
BELIEVE CONTINUES TO FOSTER AND HAVE AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY LIKE WE DO IN OUR SCHOOLS. I KNOW, SUZANNE, YOU'LL SPEAK I HOPE A LOT ABOUT HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE FAILING AND OUR
TEACHERS ARE FEELING AT THIS TIME NOW IN OUR CITY. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT HINDERING ANY OF THE LAWS THAT DO NEED TO BE FOLLOWED AND AT
THAT MAKING SURE ALSO AND I THINK COUNCILOR FITZGERALD MENTIONED IT THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE TRUST ACT HAS A CLEAR DELINEATION AND DOES MAKE IT CLEAR FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT WHAT THEIR BOUNDARIES ARE.
AND I, I BELIEVE AND I HOPE AND IF WE NEED TO HAVE THAT HEARING ON THE OTHER HEARING ORDER THAT OUR POLICE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, BREAKING ANY LAWS. AND I DO THINK THAT'S THE CONCERNS I GET FROM BOTH SIDES .
BUT I DO HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON FEEL SAFE AND THAT WE'RE NOT HEARING STORIES ABOUT STUDENTS MISSING SCHOOLS, FAMILIES YOU KNOW, NOT BEING
ABLE TO PAY THEIR RENT BECAUSE MOM OR DAD DON'T FEEL SAFE GOING TO WORK OR THAT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST NOT ENJOYING LIFE. WE ALL KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET OUT AND ENJOY THIS
ONE LIFE THAT WE HAVE. SO MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE CAN ON THIS SIDE IN THE CITY AT THE SAME TIME ENFORCING OR JUST TRUSTING THAT
OUR POLICE ARE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO AND AT THE SAME TIME KNOWING THAT WHATEVER SUPPORT WE CAN GIVE TO OUR COMMUNITIES WE CONTINUE TO. SO THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. I THINK COUNCILMAN MURPHY.
COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILORS MARIA AND
LOUIJEUNE FOR SETTING UP THAT YOU KNOW THE RALLY WE HAD LAST WEDNESDAY IN SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR AND SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY AS PART OF THE PARTICIPATE IN THAT. YOU KNOW, I THINK I THINK WE
ALL KNOW THAT THE ATTACKS ON THE BOSTON TRUST ACT ARE NOT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE THE PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TALKING ABOUT OUR TRUST ACT
CARE ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE IN BOSTON. BUT MORE TO THE POINT THERE THERE IS NOT THE PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACTS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. INSTEAD THESE ATTACKS ARE DESIGNED TO SPREAD FEAR.
I THINK WE'VE ALL HEARD STORIES ABOUT FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITIES PARENTS BEING AFRAID TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL, TELLING THEM TO RUN HOME RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL IN CASE SOMETHING
HAPPENS BUT PEOPLE NOT GOING TO WORK AND YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TODAY SO YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO STRENGTHEN THE BOSTON TRUST ACT AND
STRENGTHEN WHAT WE DO AS A CITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND YOU KNOW, TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR A CITY THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE AND IS THE SAFEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY
. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO THE TWO COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR FILING THIS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. HOWEVER, COUNCILOR DURKIN, YOU
HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR SANTANA WHEN THE BOSTON TRUST ACT WAS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED IN 2014. IT SENT A BOLD AND COMPASSIONATE STATEMENT THAT BOSTON WOULD CODIFY A CLEAR
MESSAGE OUR CITY'S RESOURCES, OUR PERSONNEL AND OUR PRIORITIES SHOULD NOT WOULD NOT TERROR FAMILIES APART UNDER CIVIL IMMIGRATION DETAINERS WHILE ALLOWING FOR RESOURCES TO
BE SMARTLY EXPENDED WHEN MATTERS OF SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY WERE APPARENT TODAY TEN YEARS LATER OUR CITY COUNCIL REAFFIRMED IT AND IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE REAFFIRM OUR
COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT THE TRUST ACT IS NOT A STATEMENT OF VALUES BUT A LIVING BREATHING DOCUMENT THAT CONTINUES TO FUNCTION AS INTENDED. I'M HONORED AND HUMBLED TO SIT IN THE CURRENT SEAT OF A COUNCILOR WHO SPONSORED THE
TRUST ACT COUNCILOR JOSH COME AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ITS DEFENSE TODAY THE WORK OF PROTECTING IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IS NOT STATIC IT REQUIRES VIGILANCE, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
. I'M HONORED TO HAVE GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT BEHIND MAYOR WU AS SHE TESTIFIED BEFORE CONGRESS LAST WEEK. HER RESILIENCE STRENGTH AND DEFENSE OF OUR CITY TRULY INSPIRED ME.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, I APPRECIATE THIS HEARING. I APPRECIATE CONCILOR MEJIA. HE HAS LEADERSHIP. WE DO HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION IS THE TRUST ACT STILL PROVIDING THE PROTECTIONS OUR RESIDENT NEED? IN THE CASE OF IN THE LEGAL AND
POLITICAL CLIMATE OF 2025 TO OUR UNDOCUMENTED NEIGHBORS, I WANT YOU TO HEAR CLEARLY FROM THIS BODY THAT BOSTON IS YOUR HOME. I REMAIN DEEPLY COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THE TRUST
CONTINUES TO SERVE IN A WAY THAT BUILDS BONDS BETWEEN ALL RESIDENTS IN BOSTON NO MATTER THEIR DOCUMENTATION SO THAT BOSTON REMAINS SAFE AND ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES IN AMERICA . DIGNITY AND DUE PROCESS ARE NOT
NEGOTIABLE. THEY'RE FOUNDATIONAL. LOOK FORWARD TO THIS ROBUST DISCUSSION TODAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DURKAN.
AT THIS POINT NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER TO BEFORE WE GO TO OUR FIRST PANEL AND WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FEW PEOPLE FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY TO THAT ISSUE. BEFORE THAT I AM GOING TO READ THAT ENTIRE SO EVERY COUNCILOR HAS THIS PACKET IN FRONT OF THEM FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION. WE RECEIVED THIS FROM THE DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS CLAIRE KELLY. I'LL READ THIS JUST THE FIRST PAGE INTO THE RECORD BY ANYONE
FROM THE PUBLIC WHO DOES WANT THIS. PLEASE EMAIL SHANE PARK A CENTRAL LIAISON AND WE CAN GIVE YOU ACCESS TO THIS DOCUMENT.
SO DEAR CHAIR SANTANA, THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 041 FOR ORDER FOR A HEARING TO ORDER THE IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 20 2014
TRUST ACT AND DOCKET NUMBER 012A COMMUNICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM THE FROM THE POLICE COMMISSIONER MICHAEL H. COX IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION THREE OF THE BOSTON TRUST ACT
REGARDING A CIVIL OR CIVIL IMMIGRATION DETAINER RESULTS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2024. LAST WEEK MAYOR MICHELLE WALL TESTIFIED AT THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM
COMMITTEE HEARING IN WASHINGTON DC ON THE BOSTON TRUST ACT. I'VE ATTACHED HAVA IN STATEMENT FOR YOUR REFERENCE. OUR ADMINISTRATION WILL BE LISTENING IN TO TODAY'S HEARING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE RESIDENTS ACROSS
BOSTON. SINCERELY CLAIRE KELLY, DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS. AWESOME. THANK YOU. SO WE ARE NOW GOING TO GO WITH
PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND YOU'LL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR AFFILIATION. AND IN PERSON WE'RE GOING TO START WITH IN-PERSON AND THEN
WE'RE GOING TO GO THEN WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE AS WELL VIRTUALLY. AND WE HAVE KEVIN BAT. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US,
KEVIN. YOU'LL HAVE 2 MINUTES. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR SANTANA AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME AT YOUR COFFEE HOUR AND SEVERAL OF US WHO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT RIGHTS IN
JAMAICA PLAIN. FIRST I WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TO THE MAYOR WHO'S OF COURSE NOT HERE BUT I HOPE SHE HEARS US. IT WAS JUST A REMARKABLE FULL APPEARANCE BEFORE CONGRESS.
SHE WAS STRONG. SHE HAD GRACE. SHE WAS UNFLAPPABLE AND I THINK SHE PUT THE FOLKS THAT BELIEVE
IN LAWLESSNESS TO TO THE TO THE POINT. SHE SHE RAISED GREAT POINTS ABOUT HOW WE IN BOSTON ARE COMPLYING WITH THE LAW AND THE FOLKS IN ICE OFTEN ARE NOT.
I WAS ALSO AMONG THE HUNDREDS THAT JOINED YOU OUT FOR THE RALLY TO SUPPORT THE MAYOR'S APPEARANCE. SO THANK YOU FOR ORGANIZING THAT. I WANTED TO JUST POINT OUT IN
LIGHT OF THE HEARING THAT THE FEDS CANNOT COMMANDEER LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA IN 1997 IN A
CASE BROUGHT BY COLORADO SHERIFFS THAT DID NOT WANT TO COMPLY WITH ANY LOCAL DUTIES TO ENFORCE BACKGROUND CHECKS ON GUN PURCHASERS WERE TOLD BY ANTONIN SCALIA HIS RULING THAT
FEDERAL LAW THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CANNOT BE COMMANDEERED TO ENFORCE FEDERAL LAW. EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE HERE THE FEDERAL ICE FOLKS ARE TRYING TO
GET COMMISSIONER HOMER IS TRYING HOMER IS TRYING TO GET HOMAN I SHOULD SAY IS TRYING TO GET LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST THE TRUST ACT TO ENFORCE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ACT
LAW AND THAT'S JUST NOT LAWFUL . THE BOSTON TRUST ACT IS THE LOCAL LAW. WE HAVE A SUPREME COURT DECISION ON POINT AS WELL.
YOU AS COUNCILORS ARE GREAT IN TERMS OF TRYING TO SUPPORT THE BOSTON TRUST ACT HERE. STRENGTHEN IT. WE HOPE COMMISSIONER COX IS ALSO ENSURING THAT HIS ALL
OF HIS POLICE DOWN TO THE BEAT ARE ALSO COMPLYING WITH THE TRUST ACT. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS YOU ALL STATED, THIS IS A WAY THAT WE KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE .
LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN DEFINITELY WORK WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES FOR CRIMINAL AND VIOLENT CRIMES AS COUNCILOR HERE POINTED OUT. BUT IN TERMS OF CIVIL DETAINER
REQUESTS, THERE'S NO OBLIGATION FOR THEM TO RESPOND TO THOSE REQUESTS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, KEVIN. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. WE'RE GOING TO IS MOVE TO VIRTUAL AND WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE WHO WANTED TESTIFY VIRTUALLY. IF YOU ARE TESTIFYING
VIRTUALLY, PLEASE ACCEPT THE MESSAGE ASKING YOU TO BE PRONTO TO OUR PANELISTS WHEN IT APPEARS. SO I'LL JUST WE HAVE SEAN NELSON AND THEN I'M GOING TO GO AARON BAXTER AND LUIS MURRAY.
SO SEAN NELSON, YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES.
2 MINUTES.
2 MINUTES TO THE YOU HAVE TO UNMUTE AND THEN GET OUR MUTUAL
. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS QUICK TO TRY TO ACTUALLY TO BE ENDED. YOU ARE NOT COOPERATING WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH TAKING UP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
LET'S MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THOSE WHO CAME HERE LEGALLY. YOU ACTUALLY ARE DISRESPECTING THE HARD WORK THEY HAD TO GO DO TO COME INTO THIS COUNTRY TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO BREAK OUR FEDERAL LAWS AND TO PROTECT
THEM. THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN DEMOCRATS TRYING TO FOSTER A NEW BORDERS THAT WHAT THEY DID BACK IN THE LATE 1800S TO EARLY 1900S.
WHY USING IMMIGRANTS TO BOLSTER THEIR VOTING RIGHTS WHICH WILL TAKE AWAY IN BLACK VOTERS IN BOSTON NO ONE TRYING TO CO-OPT THE POLICE TO GO DO ANYTHING IF
THEY HAVE IT AND DETAINING WHO IS ILLEGAL. ALL THE ICE IS ASKING THEM IS TO HOLD THAT PERSON FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY WALK INTO A POLICE STATION, DO IT SAFELY AND AS
I'M ASSURED PERFORMANCE I WAS IN THE ROOM SHE WAS SYMPATHETIC. MOST OF YOU ARE JUST KISSING HER BEHIND BECAUSE ELECTION TIME IS UP AND YOU'RE TRYING TO HOPEFULLY AT YOUR FAVOR YOU FOR AN ENDORSEMENT OR GIVE YOU A
NICE LITTLE POLITICIAN IN THE GOVERNMENT AS A BUREAUCRAT, AS A CITY CITIZEN OF BOSTON. I WANT THIS TO END. DO NOT USE THIS PLATFORM TO PUSH YOUR AGENDA THE DEMOCRATS
AGENDA. STOP PUTTING YOUR PARTY OVER THE PEOPLE. AND I HOPE WHEN TOM HOLLAND DOES COME HERE ALL OF YOU WHO VOTED FOR THAT THAT ACT SHOULD BE LOCKED UP AND YOU SHOULD
HAVE BEEN AT THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ANSWERING TO CONGRESS WHY YOU ARE ENDANGERING THE PUBLIC SAFETY OF BOSTON. NONE OF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ON THAT COUNCIL RIGHT NOW AND I HOPE HE COMES IN AND
ARREST ALL OF YOU AND ASK FOR THAT RALLY. DON'T FORGET YOU HAD A COUNTER RALLY WITH THE CITIZENS OF BOSTON BEING HELD BY CATHERINE VITALE. THE LAWSUIT THAT THERE WAS NO
NOBODY ELSE OUT THERE PUSHING AGAINST YOUR AGENDA AGAIN, AS A CITIZEN OF BOSTON, I AM NOW TELLING YOU TO COOPERATE WITH ICE AND END THE TRUST ACT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE ERIN DOCTOR. PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND. YES. THANK YOU.
SO MY NAME IS ERIN DOCTOR. I LIVE IN MATTAPAN. THANK YOU COUNSELORS FOR HOLDING HEARING AND REAFFIRMING YOUR COMMITMENT TO ALL THE RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY. I URGE YOU TO INCREASE BOSTON'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT ALL THE PEOPLE IN OUR GREAT CITY
REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY COME FROM OR WHO'S IN THE WHITE HOUSE OR WHO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THEIR BILLIONAIRE COMPTROLLERS ATTEMPT TO DEMONIZE. THAT MEANS HOLDING TO THE COMMITMENTS IN THE BOSTON TRACK
THAT TRUST ACT AND EXPANDING THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT IMMIGRANTS FEEL SAFE IN BOSTON TO BRING THEIR UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY FOR ALL OF OUR BENEFIT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD POINT TO WAYS IN WHICH WE MUST EXPAND
PROTECTIONS TO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AS K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A NEW SITE OF STRUGGLE BY THE CURRENT ANTI-IMMIGRANT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.
JUST NOTE OF COURSE THEY'RE TARGETING PUBLIC EDUCATION. MY PARTNER AND I HAVE LIVED ALL OVER MASSACHUSETTS BEFORE DECIDING TO MAKE BOSTON OUR PERMANENT HOME READING SOMERVILLE WALTHAM QUINCY WHERE
AN INTERRACIAL COUPLE WHO WORK IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION. SHE'S A STAFFER AT A PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY. I'M A UNION ORGANIZER. WE COME FROM DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS AS WELL. WHEN WE DECIDED TO SETTLE IN MATTAPAN IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE
DIVERSITY OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WE AND OUR FUTURE CHILDREN WOULD ENCOUNTER PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND PLACES IN THE WORLD HERE THAT WE WOULD EAT FOOD FROM AROUND THE WORLD, HEAR LANGUAGES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS WOULD BE FULL OF PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM DIFFERENT PLACES AND CULTURES BUT OF THE SHARED GOALS OF LEARNING AND CONTRIBUTING TO OUR GREAT CITY. WHILE THEY BUILD A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY, WE KNEW THESE THINGS MAKE A COMMUNITY STRONG FROM
OUR EXPERIENCE IN OUR OWN RELATIONSHIP AND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATIONS AND OUR CURRENT WORK. WE'RE PROUD TO LIVE IN BOSTON THAT'S A CITY FOR ALL. THE BOSTON TRUST ACT WAS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO
PROTECT THIS DIVERSITY AND SAFETY. MORE IS REQUIRED OF US AS THE BROWNSHIRTS ESCALATE THEIR EFFORTS TO TERRORIZE OUR COMMUNITIES INCLUDING TARGETING FOR DEPORTATION COLLEGE PROTESTERS MOST RECENTLY THAT
CANNOT BE ACCEPTED IN BOSTON. I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE INTENT ON BENDING THE KNEE OR KISSING THE RING OF OUR WANNABE DICTATORS DUE TO FEAR OF DAMAGED RELATIONSHIPS OR CUTS TO FUNDING.
I'M UPSET THAT THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD BE INCREASING COLLABORATION EVEN WITH FEDERAL FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND MAKING PEOPLE IN OUR CITY FEEL MORE UNSAFE, MORE PRECARIOUS, MORE WATCHED, MORE AT RISK
OF DEPORTATION BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY COME FROM. IMMIGRANTS MAKE THIS CITY STRONG. IMMIGRANTS FEEL SAFE REPORTING CRIMES KNOWING THEY WILL BE TREATED THE SAME AS ANY OTHER BOSTONIAN. AND I'M THE DESCENDANT OF IMMIGRANTS THE LUCKY ONES
WHO MANAGED TO MIGRATE HERE WHILE OTHERS WERE TURNED AWAY TO DIE IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS. WE ARE NOT A CITY OF PEOPLE WHO TURN THOSE IN NEED AWAY. WE'RE A CITY OF HELPERS WHO USE OUR RESOURCES TO MAKE EVERYONE SAFE.
A CITY WHOSE DIFFERENCES BIND US TOGETHER. SO IN THE FACE OF ATTACKS ON OUR RESIDENTS WHY THEY. I WOULD JUST URGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER WAYS OF INCREASING AND EXPANDING THE BOSTON TRUST ACT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL
OF YOUR HELP. THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US TODAY. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ONE MORE PERSON FROM FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OUR FIRST PANEL. DO WE HAVE LEWIS MURRAY WITH US
ONLINE? YES, YOU DO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE. I'M TRYING TO PULL UP MY COMMENTS. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT AND I
THINK THAT'S ALL WE HAVE. OKAY. OH, MY. OKAY. YES. MY NAME IS LEWIS MURRAY ON THE TAXPAYER PROPERTY OWNER LIVING WARD 20 WEST ROXBURY FOR THE
LAST 11 YEARS THE I'M A CO-FOUNDER OF THE BOSTONIANS AGAINST SANCTUARY CITY AND I WANTED TO GIVE TESTIMONY TODAY
COUNCILOR MAGUIRE SAID THAT THE DRUG TRAFFICKERS ARE SPECIFICALLY EXEMPT AND I WANT
TO BRING UP A CASE IN 2018 AFTER BOSTON THE BOSTON POLICE GOT RID OF EDWARD GALLAGHER AS THEIR ICE APPOINTED OFFICER WHO
WAS A LIAISON TO ICE. MANY BOSTON POLICE OFFICERS REACHED OUT TO INDIVIDUALS LIKE MYSELF SO THAT WE COULD REPORT CRIMES THAT WERE HAPPENING IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH LIKELY WITH ILLEGAL ALIENS. AND I'M I'M GOING TO SUBMIT ALL THIS AS WRITTEN TESTIMONY AS WELL.
BUT PLEASE BEAR WITH ME ON NOVEMBER 17, 2018 AFTER A MONTHS LONG STAKEOUT, A TRAFFICKER OF HEROIN, FENTANYL,
METHAMPHETAMINE AND MARIJUANA NOT A LOW LEVEL DEALER A TRAFFICKER WAS ARRESTED BY THE BOSTON POLICE ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE FROM MY HOME
ON THE ROSLINDALE WEST ROXBURY LINE ABOUT A QUARTER MILE FROM THEIR ROUTE. THIS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HAD MUTILATED FINGERPRINTS AND A
COLD CRIMINAL WITH THEM WHEN THE POLICE CAME IN THE DOOR THEY ARM THEMSELVES WITH KNIVES AND WERE FENDING OFF THE BOSTON POLICE AS THEY DUMPED THE DRUGS
DOWN THE DRAIN WHEN THEY WERE ABLE TO FINALLY FIGURE OUT IN THE AFTERNOON OF THE ARREST THAT THESE INDEED WERE ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS.
THE ONE CRIMINAL THAT DIDN'T HAVE HIS FINGERPRINTS BURNED OFF WAS IDENTIFIED BECAUSE HE WAS WANTED ON MULTIPLE RAPE CHARGES IN LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.
THESE WERE THE CHARGES THAT WERE AND CALLED ICE. ICE WENT TO THE WEST ROXBURY COURTHOUSE. THANK YOU AND ATTEMPTED TO REPORT THESE CRIMINAL POSSESSION TO DISTRIBUTE
CLASS-A SUBSTANCE POSSESSION TO DISTRIBUTE CLASS B SUBSTANCE CONSPIRACY TO VIOLATE DRUG LAW BURNISHING FALSE NAMES THE HEAD
TRAFFICKER GOT ANOTHER CHARGE ADDED. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS THAT JUDGE MARY DRISCOLL SET BAIL AT 20 $500 AND A SURRENDER
OF PASSPORTS. I THINK THE RUDOLPH DEALER SANTANA, WHO WAS THE CRIMINAL THAT HAD HIS FINGERPRINTS HE HE HAD A $5,000 BILL.
EVENTUALLY I HAD TO LEAVE AFTER WAITING FOR 24 HOURS. THAT'S THAT'S 2 MINUTES OF DRUGS I TRIED TO GIVE YOU. THEY WERE ROOM IF YOU CAN JUST PLEASE I'M ALSO YOU CAN SEND
YOUR TESTIMONY VIA E-MAIL AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR PEOPLE WHO JOINED US WITH THAT WORD AND I WANT TO GO TO OUR FIRST
PANEL. I GOING INTO WE'D LIKE TO TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S FIRST PANEL AND THEN I AM GOING THEN YOU CAN YOU CAN I INTRODUCE OURSELVES AS WELL AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
COUNSELOR'S QUESTIONS. SO WITH THAT I KNOW WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL. SO WITH US TODAY WE HAVE AMY GRANDA I THINK WHO'S JOINING US
VIRTUALLY WHO'S DIRECTOR OF THE STATE AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR THE MIRACLE COALITION. ANGELA PALMA WITH US IN PERSON WOMEN'S RIGHT TO ORGANIZER WITH
CENTRAL PRESENTER SUZANNE LEE WITH US TODAY IN PERSON WHO WEARS MANY HATS BUT AS AN AND WITH US VIRTUALLY WE HAVE
MICHELLE A TEAM ASSISTANT PASTOR VOICE OF THE GOSPEL CHURCH. SO PLEASE IF YOU CAN I'LL JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND THEN ANY OPENING REMARKS OR PRESENTATION THAT YOU ALL MAY
WANT TO GIVE AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ANGELA PALMA.
I AM THE DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS FROM IN SALVADOR AND I GREW UP HERE IN BOSTON. I AM A WOMEN'S RIGHTS ORGANIZER AT CENTER REPRESENTED LOCATED IN EAST BOSTON.
I WANT TO SHARE A PART OF THE HISTORY OF THE GRASSROOTS STRUGGLE FOR THE TRUST ACT IN BOSTON. THE STORY WITH THE GEORGE W BUSH ADMINISTRATION PILOTING A DATA SHARING PROGRAM CALLED
SOURCE COMMUNITIES IN 2008. THIS PROGRAM COORDINATED EFFORTS BETWEEN ALL LEVELS LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM FEDERAL TO STATE TO LOCAL. THE LATE MAYOR MENINO ACTUALLY HAD BOSTON SECRETLY
PARTICIPATING IN THAT PILOT. PRESIDENT OBAMA OFFICIALLY ROLLED OUT THE SECURE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AND THEN GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTION TO SIGN MASSACHUSETTS INTO IT.
CENTRAL PRESENTED IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED BY APPEARING AT EVERY IMMIGRATION LISTENING SESSION THAT THE GOVERNOR HELD AS PART OF OUR JUST COMMUNITIES CAMPAIGN. GOVERNOR PATRICK WOULD
EVENTUALLY DECLINE TO ENROLL IN THAT PROGRAM AND MAYOR MENINO ALSO REMOVED BOSTON FROM ASPECTS OF SECURE COMMUNITIES. OUT OF THIS EFFORT CENTRAL PRESENTED FORGED A PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE NATIONAL DAY ORGANIZING NETWORK AND DILLON WITH WHOM WE WOULD BEGIN TO FIGHT FOR STATE LEGISLATION IN 2012 THAT WOULD CLEARLY SEPARATE THE ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW FROM
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. TO MOVE FORWARD THIS TRUST ACT LEADERS AT CENTRAL PRESIDENT PATRICIA MONTEZ AND JOSEPH PALMA AND MANY MORE BEGAN A YEAR OF ORGANIZING AND THEN
CALLED THE FIRST MEETING OF THE MASSACHUSETTS TRUST ACT COALITION. MANY ORGAN ORGANIZATIONS JOINING JOINED INCLUDING THE BRAZILIAN WORKER CENTER, A KEY ALLY IN LAUNCHING THE CAMPAIGN.
IN 2013 REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR COALITION MET WITH STATE SENATOR JANEY ELDRIDGE AND FORMER REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS GRAZIANO WHO BECAME SPONSORS OF THE TRUST ACT. SADLY, THERE WAS LITTLE POLITICAL WILL TO MOVE
IMMIGRATION POLICY FORWARD IN A STATE HOUSE RUN ENTIRELY BY DEMOCRATS. WE PIVOTED TO A LOCAL STRATEGY WHERE MANY LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CHIEFS RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE
OF COMMUNITY POLICE POLICING AND A STRONG RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST WITH THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY. WE FOUND AN ENTHUSIASTIC AND ACTIVE ALLY IN FORMER SOME SOME OF WHOM MAYOR JOE CATENA.
WITH HIS SUPPORT AN EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS PASSED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THE TRUST ACT IN SOMERVILLE IN 2015 CENTRAL PRESENT THAT LEFT THE TRUST ACT PROCESS WITH A CAMPAIGN AND A BILL THAT CHANGED ITS NAME.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT CONTINUE THIS IMPORTANT WORK AND WE PROVIDE THIS BACKGROUND TO PRESERVE HISTORICAL MEMORY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR DOCUMENTING THE LESSONS WE HAVE LEARNED IN
THE PAST FOR RECOGNIZING THOSE THAT STOOD BESIDE US WHEN NEEDED AND FOR MAKING SURE THAT THOSE WHO WERE NOT PRESENT CAN LEARN FROM OUR EXPERIENCES. THE TRUST HAS HAD A LONG ROAD AND IS STILL RELEVANT AND SO IMPORTANT RELEVANT AND SO
IMPORTANT AT A TIME WHEN OUR COMMUNITY IS UNDER ATTACK. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. IS IT ON?
OKAY. MY NAME IS SUZANNE LEE. I AM I JUST SAID I WEAR MANY HATS AND I'M GOOD TO CONTAIN MYSELF TO BEING EDUCATED TODAY .
35 YEARS IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, A TEACHER, A COACH AND FINALLY PRINCIPAL AND I RETIRE AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE PRINCIPAL IN THE SYSTEM.
THEY CALL ME A LEGEND. I DON'T KNOW WHAT FOR WHAT BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE. AND I HOPE THAT IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH HOW I RAN MY SCHOOL AND FOR 35 YEARS WHAT
I HAVE DONE FOR PARTICULARLY IMMIGRANT CHILDREN AND COMING FROM AN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY WHERE MY GRANDFATHER CAME HERE
AS A 12 YEAR OLD BACK IN THE EARLY 1900S AND MY FATHER CAME IN THE 1930S AFTER HIS BROTHER WAS KILLED IN EAST BOSTON.
MY MOTHER CAME TO REUNITE WITH MY FATHER IN 1950 AND I DIDN'T GET TO COME IN TO 1960 SO WHY AM I SHARING ALL THIS WITH YOU? BECAUSE THIS WHOLE ISSUE
OF IMMIGRANT RIGHTS IS DEEPLY PERSONAL TO ME POLICY THAT IS MADE BY CITY AND STATE AND
FEDERAL HAVE HUGE IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES AND WHEN THEY MAKE THOSE LAW PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT WHO THEY IMPACT. AND I'M GOING TO FOCUS AND
TALKING ABOUT PARTICULARLY THE CHILDREN SO I KNOW THE TRUST ACT IS ABOUT HOW POLICE CONDUCT BUSINESS BUT OUR CHILDREN ARE
NOT IMMUNE THAT WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT POLICIES AND LAWS AS SURFACE IN ISOLATION. ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE
COMMUNITY, IN THE FAMILY. THE CHILDREN FEEL SO SO THE TRUST ACT DOES NOT TOUCH ON THAT AT ALL. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT YOU WANT
EVERYBODY TO FEEL SAFE WELL, I KNOW OUR CHILDREN DO NOT AND WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE AND IT'S NOT ONLY THE IMMIGRANT CHILDREN, NOT ONLY WHAT WE
PEOPLE CALL THEM UNDOCUMENTED BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO TO SCHOOL NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHO IS WHO BUT
THE CHILDREN WHO COME FROM IMMIGRANT FAMILIES SOMETIMES DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR STATUS IS EITHER AND THE CHILDREN FEELS THAT AND WHAT DO THEY BRING TO
THE SCHOOL? AND I'VE SEEN THAT FIRSTHAND. AND THEN MY STORY NOW WHEN CHILDREN DON'T FEEL SAFE AND
WORRY ABOUT THEIR PARENTS AND WORRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WHEN THEY GET HOME THEIR PARENTS WILL BE THERE OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE JOBS THAT CAN PROVIDE FOR THEM.
USUALLY A FEW THINGS HAPPEN THOUGH DON'T FOCUS. THEY TEND TO ECHO AND SOME OF YOU WHO KNOWS A LOT ABOUT CLASSROOMS OR WHEN YOU HAVE ONE
OR TWO STUDENTS ACT OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST OF THEM. IT HAS AN IMPACT ON THEM RIGHT ? SO WHAT IF WE PUT THE IMPASSE
IN PLACE, ALL THIS TESTING IN PLACE WANT TO SEE HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS DOING FOR OUR STUDENT? NONE OF THOSE TESTING REALLY SHOWS YOU HOW IMPORTANT THE
STATE OF MIND AND HOW STUDENTS FEEL, HOW WELL THEY CAN DO. YOU CANNOT LEARN UNLESS YOU HAVE THE MENTAL CAPACITY TO FEEL SAFE AND THEN OPEN YOUR
MIND TO LEARN. SO IT'S NOT ONLY THOSE CHILDREN WHO FEEL IN THE MEDIA AND THAT THAT IMPACT ON HOW THEY'RE
THINKING AND GET THE VIBE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM FROM THEIR PARENTS WORKPLACE AND HOW ADULTS TALK THEY'RE GOING TO IMPACT ON THE REST OF THE CLASSROOM.
I REMEMBER STANDING ON THIS GETTING KIDS FROM THE BUS AND I DID LITERALLY DO THAT FROM TIME TO TIME SO I CAN SEE IN THEIR FACE WHAT KIND OF DAY IT'S GOING TO BE.
AS SOON AS THEY STEP OFF THE BUS I SEE SOMETHING I HAVE TO ESCORT AND ASK THE STUDENTS COME AND HAVE A CUP OF TEA OR SOMETHING WITH ME BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IF I DON'T DEAL WITH
THAT RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING THAT CLASSROOM THAT WHOLE DAY IS GOING TO BE SHOT. SO WHERE DO WE TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE TRUST ACT WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT SAFE COMMUNITY AND SAFE CLASSROOM? WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT AND THAT MEANT THAT THAT MENTAL IMAGE THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR
HEAD IS GOING TO BE THERE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME AS THEY GROW UP AND THAT'S WHY WE SEE SO MUCH TRAUMA, SO MUCH PARTICULARLY IN OUR TEENAGERS.
CHILDREN CAN ONLY REACT TO THINGS THAT THEY HEAR AND FEEL. SO IF THEY HEAR IN THE NEWS SOMEBODY THEY DON'T KNOW WHO ICE IS BUT SOMEBODY IS
COMING TO GET YOU. AND PARENTS SHOULDER FEAR AND I KNOW THAT IN SOME FAMILIES IT WOULD DEVISE A PLAN IF SOMETHING HAPPENED YOU NEED TO
DO THIS AND THIS AND THIS. THAT ALSO IMPACTS ON OUR YOUTH. WE TALK A LOT ABOUT YOUTH CAPACITY AND YOUTH RESILIENCY. THAT IS TRUE.
WHAT IS GOING TO GIVE THEM THE VISION, THE RESILIENCY AND TO SURVIVE THIS KIND OF TRAUMA IS UP TO US AS RESPONSIBLE ADULTS AND I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE A CITY
COUNCIL NOW THE ONE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. HOW DO WE EXPAND THE TRUST ACT NOT JUST ON YOU'RE GOING TO BE PROTECTED IF IT'S NOT ILLEGAL
ARRESTS ARE LEGAL THAT NONE OF THAT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE IF THEY DO MAKE A MISTAKE FOR THOSE FAMILY AND THOSE CHILDREN THAT ARE IMPACTED, THAT'S GOING
TO HAVE A SCAR. SO HOW DO WE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT KIND OF DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE BEYOND JUST THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND
WHAT WE PUT ON PAPER, HOW WE TALK IN PUBLIC, HOW OUR LEADERS YOU CALL IN EVERY DAY CONTEXT
WHEN YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND UP AS LEADERS TO TALK THE TONE, TO USE THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND I KNOW THE OTHER
EDUCATORS THAT ARE VERY ANXIOUS TO WHAT DO I DO IF I'M ON DUTY OWN THE STUDENTS AND I HAPPEN TO COME BY OR THEY COME WHAT DO I DO? EVERY SINGLE EDUCATORS HAVE
THAT IN THEIR HEAD AND THAT'S GOING TO WE'RE ON THEM. THEY CANNOT FOCUS SO MUCH ON TEACHING AND LEARNING WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THIS OTHER STUFF WEARING ON YOU. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T SAY THAT
TO THEIR PRINCIPAL. THEY WOULD TELL ME TELL IT TO SOMEBODY LIKE ME WHO IS NOT DIRECTLY THE SUPERVISOR. I HEAR THOSE AND I JUST FINISH
SOME TRAINING WITH A GROUP OF PARENTS MENTORS 80 OF THEM AND MOSTLY SPANISH SPEAKING AND SOME HAITIANS AND SOME SOMALI PARENTS.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM CAN TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS THAT THEY KNOW THAT DO NOT SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL OR THAT THEY ARE AFRAID TO GO TO WORK. SO I LOOK AT THEM.
I SAID WHAT YOU ARE HERE. WHY ARE YOU NOT AFRAID? THEY SAID WELL SOMEBODY HAVE TO COME AND GET THE INFORMATION SO I CAN SHARE WITH THEM. SO WE HAVE THAT GOING ON IN OUR
COMMUNITY SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN DO AS LEADERS TO GIVE A POSITIVE AND REAL CONCRETE WAY TO ALLEVIATE THAT FEAR WOULD GO A LONG WAY.
SO I HOPE THAT THE TRUST THAT CAN DO SOME OF THAT BUT I DON'T KNOW YET HOW BEST TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION EITHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I KNOW WE ALL HAVE AGAIN WE
HAVE AMY AND MICHELLE ON VIRTUAL ON ON ZOOM. I ALSO FELT I WANT TO INTRODUCE ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PANELISTS FOR THIS FIRST PANELIST DR.
NINA. AND SO YOU ALLOWED OUR FOUNDER OF THE AUSTRALIA LUNA CONSULT AND JOINING US HERE TODAY DO YOU HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS THAT YOU WANT TO PROVIDE?
IS IS. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? UM, THANK YOU. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IT'S STARTED ON A CONSULTING. OH SO NOT NOT ALL THE PEOPLE CONTROL THEIR HOURS LIKE YOU
CAN AND UH, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT THE BOSTON TRUST ACT AND THIS ORDER TO REVIEW THE ACT AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION. WHAT I'D LIKE TO START WITH IS EMPHASIZE BOTH THE IMPORTANCE
BUT ALSO THE HISTORIC PRECEDENTS OF THE BOSTON TRUST ACT. THIS LAW IS NOTHING NEW FOR BOSTON.
BOSTON NUMBER ONE HAS BEEN A SANCTUARY FOR THOSE MEETING PROTECTIONS. GOING BACK TO OUR ORIGINAL FOUNDING AND TO THE ORIGIN OF THE CITY OF BOSTON AS A AS A CITY UNDER THIS UNITED STATES
AND BOSTON AS A CITY HAS ACTUALLY RESISTED FEDERAL EFFORTS TO IMPOSE OBLIGATIONS THAT WE DON'T AGREE WITH THAT IS PART OF OUR HISTORY ALSO. FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK WE CAN BE
PROUD OF BOSTON REFUSAL TO CAPITULATE TO THE MANY FEDERAL INITIATIVES AROUND THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAWS IN THE 19TH CENTURY SLAVE LAWS THAT WERE IMPOSED BY CONGRESS IN THE EARLY 19TH
EARLY A MIDDLE PART OF THE 19TH CENTURY. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THESE FEDERAL FUGITIVE SLAVE LAWS WERE IMPOSED ON STATES LIKE MASSACHUSETTS AT THE BEHEST
OF WHAT WERE THE OLIGARCHS OF THE 19TH CENTURY PEOPLE WHO WERE DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION AND MARGINALIZATION, PEOPLE WHO
WERE DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN SYSTEMS OF WHITE SUPREMACY. BOSTON LET'S BE CLEAR WAS BY NO MEANS INNOCENT IN ANY OF THESE SYSTEMS BUT IT DID TO ITS
CREDIT RESIST FORCED COMPLICITY WITH THE ENSLAVEMENT OF BLACK PEOPLE. SO WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH CONGRESS AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE SUPREME COURT
IMPOSED THE FEDERAL FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT OF 1850, BOSTON RESISTED THE COURT OR I'M SORRY THE LAW MAN MANDATED THAT
LOCAL AUTHORITIES WHAT AT THE TIME WERE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSIST WITH THE SEIZURE OF SELF EMANCIPATED BLACK PEOPLE AND RETURN THEM TO SLAVERY.
IT ALSO ALLOWED CITIZENS CIVILIANS TO BE DEPUTIZED IN ORDER TO ENFORCE THE RETURN OF HUMAN BEINGS TO ENSLAVEMENT .
AND BOSTON SAID NO. THE CITIZENS AND THE CITY OF BOSTON SUCCESSFULLY PREVENTED THE SEIZURE OF MANY EMANCIPATED BLACK PEOPLE.
HOWEVER, IN 1854 A FEDERAL JUDGE A FEDERAL JUDGE NOT A LOCAL JUDGE A FEDERAL JUDGE FORCED THE RETURN OF ANTHONY BURNS A SELF EMANCIPATED BLACK
MAN TO SLAVERY. BURNS WAS SEIZED FROM OUR JAILS FROM A BOSTON JAIL AND RETURNED TO ENSLAVEMENT IN RESPONSE TO
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS ENACTED THE PERSONAL LIBERTY PERSONAL LIBERTY LAW IN 1855 TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER COMPLICITY WITH
ENSLAVEMENT BY REQUIRING BY THE WAY DUE PROCESS OF LAW, BY ENFORCING RIGHTS. SO I SEE THE BOSTON TRUST ACT
AS A DESCENDANT, IF YOU WILL, OF THAT PERSONAL LIBERTY LAW ADAPTED TO THE MODERN ERA. BOSTON'S TRUST ACT MAKES CLEAR
THAT WE ARE NOT AGENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WE CAN CHOOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL CIVIL LAWS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO
OUR VALUES AND THAT ACTUALLY HARM THE CITY, HARM OUR NEIGHBORS. THIS HEARING IS ABOUT REVIEWING THE TRUST ACT ITSELF WHEN
POLICY SCHOLARS LIKE MYSELF IT IS WHAT I DO WHEN WE DO THIS KIND OF EVALUATION WE LOOK AT TWO THINGS ONE THING WE LOOK AT IS WHETHER THE POLICY ITSELF THE WORDS THE TEXT IN THE
STATUTE IN THIS TEXT IN THE LAW IS STRUCTURED AND DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS. THAT'S THE FIRST THING WE LOOK AT. THE OTHER THING WE LOOK AT IS WHETHER THE IMPLEMENT PORTION OF THE POLICY IS DONE IN SUCH A
WAY THAT IT MEETS BOTH THE SPIRIT AND ALSO THE TEXT AND ARTICULATED GOALS OF THE LAW. THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS AND GIVEN THAT THIS POLICY HAS
BEEN PLACED IN PLACE FOR TEN YEARS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY GIVEN THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN ,I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO SPEND TIME LOOKING AT BOTH.
I WILL SAY HAVING LOOKED AT THE TEXT OF THE LAW MYSELF, I CAN DEFINITELY SAY THAT IT'S PRETTY DECENT. GOOD JOB CITY COUNCIL TEN YEARS AGO BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO
STRENGTHEN IT AND TO MINIMIZE UNINTENDED NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. AGAIN, ESPECIALLY IN THIS MOMENT THERE ARE WAYS THAT THE LAW CAN BE STRENGTHENED GIVEN WHO IS CURRENTLY BEING TARGETED
AND HOW THEY ARE BEING TARGETED. ANOTHER AREA THAT COULD BE STRENGTHENED IS WHERE THE ACT DOES SUPPORT COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS HERE.
THERE IS A NEED FOR MORE SPECIFICITY TO ENSURE THAT WE DO NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN OVERLY BROAD DEFINITIONS OF CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS CURRENTLY EMBEDDED IN IMMIGRATION LAW.
AND THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT. SO I WANT TO RESPECT THE TIME AT HOME FOR MY REMARKS BUT I WILL INVITE QUESTIONS. AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US ON ZOOM. DO WE HAVE AMY GROUNDER FROM MIRA AND THEN MICHELLE FROM THE
ASSISTANT PASTOR? DO YOU HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS ? I JUST HAVE A BRIEF TWO MINUTE TESTIMONY. THANK YOU. AWESOME. YOU CAN GO RIGHT AHEAD.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS AND THANK THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT JIMMY LOUIJEUNE AND CHAIR JULIA
GILLIAM HERE AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS IMPORTANT HEARING REGARDING AND REGARDING THE BOSTON TRUST ACT.
MY NAME IS AMY GRINDER. I AM DIRECTOR OF STATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT THE MASSACHUSETTS IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE ADVOCACY COALITION, A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 1987.
AND WE'RE A COALITION OF 140 OR SO IMMIGRANTS SERVING ORGANIZATIONS RANGING FROM IMMIGRANT LED COMMUNITY GROUPS TO WORKER CENTERS, UNIONS, FAITH ORGANIZATIONS AND REALLY
SERVICE PROVIDERS OF EVERY TYPE . MIRO'S MISSION IS TO CONVENE, SERVE AND ORGANIZE TOGETHER WITH WITH MEMBERS AND OUR ALLIES FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ALL IMMIGRANTS REGARDLESS
OF WHERE THEY CAME FROM OR HOW THEY GOT HERE. MIRA HAS SUPPORTED THE BOSTON TRUST ACT SINCE BASICALLY SINCE IT WAS FIRST ENACTED IN 2014 AND WORKED WITH THE CITY
COUNCIL OR CITY COUNCIL TO IMPROVE THE ORDINANCE AGAIN IN 2019. WE HAVE WELCOMED THE RECENT REAFFIRMATION OF THIS ORDINANCE THAT HAS DONE SO MUCH TO BUILD THE CONFIDENCE OF BOSTON'S
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN ALL OF BOSTON'S PUBLICANS PETITIONS NOT JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMITMENT OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR AND THE
BOSTON BOSTON'S POLICE COMMISSIONER COX TO THE TRUST ACT. ESPECIALLY NOW WHEN THESE COMMUNITIES AND BOSTON BOSTON'S PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE UNDER ATTACK BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ITS RECENT ENDORSEMENT OF THREE STATE BILLS THAT WOULD EXTEND THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE BOSTON TRUST ACT STATEWIDE, INCLUDING THE SAFE COMMUNITIES ACT, WHICH
WOULD GIVE ALL MASSACHUSETTS STATE'S RESIDENTS THE SECURITY OF KNOWING THAT THEY CAN SAFELY APPROACH OUR POLICE AND OUR COURT OFFICIALS FOR PROTECTION FROM EXPLOITATION AND CRIME WITHOUT FEAR OF IMMIGRATION
CONSEQUENCES AND ENSURE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES ARE SPENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY NOT CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. OUR OUR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS CONFIRM THE UNCERTAINTY AND
FEAR IN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW AND I WOULD ALSO SAY AND ALSO THE SENSE OF INCREDIBLE SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT THAT THEY FEEL FROM BOSTON'S MAYOR WU FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR FOR
IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT. FROM THIS BOSTON CITY COUNCIL AND FROM BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER COX. BOSTON WAS ONE OF THE FIRST MUNICIPALITIES TO ENACT A TRUST ACT IN MASSACHUSETTS AND REALLY
A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE STATE. AS OF 2023 THERE ARE NOW OVER 50 MUNICIPAL CITIES IN MASSACHUSETTS THAT HAVE ENACTED MEASURES SIMILAR TO THE BOSTON
TRUST ACT. BOSTON IS A TRUE LEADER IN ITS COMMITMENT TO ITS HARD WORKING IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND AN EXAMPLE TO OUR 350 CITIES AND TOWNS IN MASSACHUSETTS TO OUR
STATE LEGISLATURE AND TO THE NATION. THERE'S THAT SAID THERE'S ALWAYS WAYS TO STRENGTHEN AND REFINE AN ORDINANCE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED WORK WITH THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL AT
ANOTHER TIME AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK AND COMMITMENT TO OUR MANY IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US
TODAY. DO WE HAVE EITHER MICHELLE AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE WE'RE GOING TO ALSO HAVE NAVY UP PINA SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER. ARE YOU WITH US TODAY? YES, THIS IS MICHELLE ETIENNE CAMPBELL AND PASTOR ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF VOICE OF THE GOSPEL TABERNACLE CHURCH IN MATTAPAN
SQUARE. I AM SO HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU ALL. THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN JULIA OVER HERE FOR THE INVITE AND
GREETINGS TO THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROSLYN JEN FELLOW HAITIAN PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY JUST BY WAY THE VOICE
OF THE GOSPEL TABERNACLE IN MATTAPAN SERVES NEARLY 300 HAITIAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN
BOSTON THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS AND A LARGER MAJORITY ARE A BOOM OF IMMIGRANTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN COME IN OVER THE LAST 10 TO 15
YEARS. MATTAPAN IS AND BOSTON IS THE THIRD LARGEST ASIAN POPULATION OF OR POPULATION OF HAITIANS IN THE UNITED STATES.
AS MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW THEN MATTAPAN BEING THE HUB WHERE MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE LIVE. AND SO WE DEAL WITH AND WE SEE A LOT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND
OVER THE YEARS WE KNOW AND WE'VE EXPERIENCED THAT MANY OF THESE HAITIAN PEOPLE THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE SOLID CITIZENS OR INDIVIDUALS WHO GO TO WORK AND ARE HARD WORKERS
AND DO THE BEST RAISING THEIR FAMILIES IN THE WAY THAT THEY KNOW HOW. BASED ON HOW WE WERE RAISED IN OUR IN OUR COUNTRY, WE WE'VE SEEN A HUGE BOOM OVER THE LAST
15 YEARS FOR A NUMBER OF REASON. THIS YEAR 2010 WE HAD A MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE THAT KILLED OVER
300,000 PEOPLE IN HAITI AND PORT AU PRINCE AND DISLOCATED A NUMBER OVER A MILLION MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS AND CAUSING THEM TO HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR HOME THAT THEY LOVED TO TRAVEL TO
NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES AND THE UNITED STATES. THEN IN 2021 WE HAD ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE AS IN ADDITION TO THE ASSASSINATION OF THE
PRESIDENT AT THE TIME OF HAITI WHICH HAS CAUSED IN ADDITION TO SOCIAL AND AND JUST NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS WHERE THE COMMUNITY AT THE HEAT FOR
HAITI BUT ALSO POLITICAL UNREST . AND SO WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD TO MIGRATE FROM HAITI TO THE UNITED STATES AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. AND AS A PASTOR OF THIS LARGE
COMMUNITY AND EVEN IN THE COMMUNITY OF ABROAD UNDER BISHOP NICHOLAS MICHEL, WE HAVE SEEN AND WE HAVE HEARD HARROWING STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE HAD A LOT OF TRAUMA TRAVELING AND MIGRATING FROM HAITI, COMING TO THE UNITED STATES THROUGH CHILE THROUGH CUBA AND VARIOUS COUNTRIES.
AND SO NOW WITH THE SITUATION BEING AS IT IS WITH THE THREATS OF ICE COMING TO TAKE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE WHO MANY OF WE DO HAVE A NUMBER WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED BUT THE MAJORITY
OF THEM HAVE RECEIVED POLITICAL ASYLUM AND ARE UNDER THE THE TPS PROGRAM AND YET EVEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING AND ARE TECHNICALLY LEGALLY HERE
THERE IS A HUGE THREAT AND A HUGE FEAR OF THESE INDIVIDUALS BEING REMOVED FROM THE COUNTRY IN A WAY THAT MAKES THEM FEEL LIKE THEY'RE CRIMINALS OR IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE CRIMINALS WHEN THEY REALLY ARE NOT.
AND THE CHILDREN ARE BEING AFFECTED BY IT AND HAVE HAD TRAUMAS BY IT AS WELL. AND SO I AGREE WITH MANY OF THE OTHER PANELISTS AND
PARTICULARLY I UNDERSTAND AND HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND SIMILAR TO WHAT THE FORMER PRINCIPAL WAS SAYING THAT THE TRAUMA THAT THESE CHILDREN HAVE SEEN AND
THAT THE FAMILIES HAVE SEEN HAVE AFFECTED THEM. AND UNDER THESE NEW POLICIES THAT WE'RE SEEING, MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO SCHOOLS, MANY ARE NOT COMING TO CHURCH.
WE HAVE TO DO A HUGE EDUCATIONAL PUSH IN TERMS OF EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT HOW TO INTERACT WITH ICE, WHAT THEY SHOULD DO. BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS IS IF YOU ARE BLACK AND BROWN WHETHER
YOU ARE HERE LEGALLY OR NOT, YOU'RE IN DANGER UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS ENVIRONMENT. AND SO WE JUST NEED THE SUPPORT AND I'M HERE TO LEND MY VOICE ON BEHALF OF THESE INDIVIDUALS,
ON BEHALF OF THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY TO SAY WE NEED SUPPORT AND WE NEED JUSTICE FOR OUR PEOPLE AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING
WITH US HERE TODAY. WE HAVE NAVYA BINA WITH US.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. IF YOU WANT TO. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEP, WE CAN HEAR YOU. CAN YOU HEAR US?
BINA, I WEAR A DIFFERENT HATS AS WELL. I'M NOT ONLY THE OWNER OR CO-OWNER OF THREE SEASONS GROUP. WE OWN THE RING ON YOVANNA BUT
AGAIN THIS MEETING EXPRESSED IN THE CITY AND I ALSO WORK FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL AS A TEACHER FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS. SO I SEE MANY THINGS HAPPENING
AS THE CITY BOSTON IS COMMITTED TO PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING ALL OF THE ALL OF ITS RESIDENTS REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS. OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS FOCUSED ON ENSURING PUBLIC
SAFETY AND DOES NOT ACT AS AN EXTENSION OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT UNDER THE BOSTON TRUST ACT. OUR OFFICERS DO NOT DETAIN INDIVIDUALS BASED SOLELY ON ICE
REQUEST WITHOUT JULIE WARRANT. HOWEVER, DESPITE THESE PROTECTIONS I SEE FIRSTHAND THE FEAR THAT EXISTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
MANY OF MY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE MOSTLY WOMEN LEAVING CONCERNS SAFETY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THEIR FAMILY. WE ARE NOT CRIMINALS.
STOP THEM ON ICE OFF BECAUSE WE JUST LOOK DIFFERENT. AS A TEACHER I WITNESSED PARENTS AFRAID OF SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL WORRYING ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THEY
STEP OUT OF THEIR HOMES. THE FEAR IS HARMFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR WORKPLACES AND OUR SCHOOL. OUR TEACHERS ARE ALSO SCARED. THE KIDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR
CLASSROOMS ARE OUR KIDS AS WELL AND WE SEE THE FEAR OF LOSING THEIR PARENTS. IT IS HEARTBREAKING FOR US. BOSTON REMAINS A WELCOMING CITY
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND WITH OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR SIMPLY FOR TRYING TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEIR FAMILY.
OUR FOCUS MUST BE ON FOSTERING TRUST AND ENSURING ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND SUPPORTING THOSE WITH TO CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH TO OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH OLIVIA FOR FOR JOINING US. THAT'S OUR FIRST PANEL. SO I KNOW WE HAVE QUITE A FEW EXPERTS PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE WITH
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU BEING ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY. SO WITH THAT WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES STARTING
WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN MOVING FORWARD WITH MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL I WILL GIVE 6 MINUTES PER
COUNCILOR AND WE'LL DO AS MANY ROUNDS AS WE NEED TO BUT WE'LL START WITH THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH COUNCILOR HERE.
THE LEAD SPONSOR COMES FROM ME. YOU GOT THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR AND I AM REALLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS PROVIDED CONTEXT TO THIS
BECAUSE I THINK WHEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE OFTENTIMES THINGS GET REALLY POLITICAL AND WE FORGET TO GROUND OURSELVES AND WHY WE'RE ALL HERE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY EVEN THOSE WHO
SHOWED UP WITH A DIFFERENT OPINION. YOU KNOW, WE HONOR OUR VOICE HERE. THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE. SO REGARDLESS OF HOW WHAT WE BELIEVE WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING THROUGH AND SHARING YOUR
THOUGHTS. THE GOAL IS TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE EVERYBODY CAN REALLY FEEL SAFE IN THIS CITY. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FIREWORKS WHEN IT COMES TO
THIS AND ONE OF THE FIRST ACTS THAT I DID HERE ON THE COUNCIL IN MY MAIDEN SPEECH WAS AROUND SANCTUARY SPACES AND DR.
ESTRELLA LUNA THAT IS WHERE I MET YOU WHEN I WAS A PARENT ORGANIZER IN IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND YOU KNOW THE FIRST THING
ABOUT ANYTHING AND I REMEMBER BEING AND ELSA FLORES WHO'S NOW A PART OF MY STAFF INVITED ME TO A MEETING IN EAST BOSTON WHERE PARENTS AND RESIDENTS
WERE ORGANIZING AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WALKED INTO BUT THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO HAD BEEN DEPORTED AND IT WAS BIPS
THAT HAD A HAND IN THAT AND AS AN ORGANIZER I WAS REALLY UPSET BUT WE WERE LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN BEEPERS. WE BROUGHT IN THE OFFICE OF RACIAL EQUITY.
I THINK IT WAS AND WE WANTED ANSWERS AND WE KNEW THAT WE WERE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BUT WHAT WE DID NOT KNOW IS THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT THAT STORY REALLY UNFOLDED TO
BE AND LAWYERS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND YOU KNOW, EVERYONE REALLY STARTED TO ORGANIZE AND THAT WAS MY JOURNEY AS A PARENT AND IT WAS WITH THAT SAME SPIRIT THAT I WALKED INTO THE CITY
COUNCIL. MY MAIDEN SPEECH WAS ON SANCTUARY SPACES AND THIS HERE DEFENDING ANGER. I GOT A HATEFUL VOICEMAIL VERY
SIMILAR TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT WE HEARD HERE TODAY CALLING ME AND MY MOTHER A CRIMINAL. AND I THINK THAT THAT INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE GETS IN THE WAY OF THE WORK AND I WANT
TO NAME THAT BECAUSE THEN I SPOKE UP EVEN THOUGH WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD NOT CALL MORE ATTENTION TO MYSELF BECAUSE I ONLY HAD ONE BY ONE VOTE BUT IF I DIDN'T SPEAK UP
THEN I WAS GOING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO ABUSE PEOPLE WHO WERE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP. AND SO HERE WE ARE FIVE YEARS LATER HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION AND THERE'S STILL
SO MUCH TENSION AND THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED THAT THIS HEARING WAS GOING TO BE GROUNDED WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES DOING THIS WORK TO BE ABLE TO HELP HUMANIZE THIS CONVERSATION.
AND SO THAT'S THE FRAMEWORK HERE THAT WE'RE NAVIGATING WITHIN THAT CONTEXT. SO TALK TO US THAT I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR EVERYBODY HERE JUST SO YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS FOR EVERYBODY.
SO I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO NAME THE QUESTIONS AND THEN I'M JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW AND THEN EACH OF YOU ARE GOING TO ANSWER YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION. SO DR. ESTRELA LUNA, I'M GOING
TO ASK YOU TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AREAS WHERE THE COUNCIL MIGHT BE ABLE TO STRENGTHEN THE ACT IN THE CURRENT MOMENT THAT WE ARE SEEING AND AS A REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE LEANING INTO TO OUR BELOVED SUZANNE LEE WHO AS YOU KNOW WEAR MANY HATS BUT THIS PARTICULAR HAT I'M GOING TO ASK
YOU TO HELP US UNDERSTAND AS AS AN EDUCATOR YOU SEE FIRSTHAND HOW IMMIGRATION POLICIES AFFECT STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IMMIGRANT STUDENTS
FACE IN BOSTON AND HOW OUR CITY COULD DO A BETTER JOB TO SUPPORT THEM SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE FEAR OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON STUDENT LEARNING AND
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR SCHOOLS. HOW DO YOU SEE THIS PLAYING OUT AND WHAT STEPS CAN WE TAKE TO BUILD TRUST WITH IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS?
MICHELLE AND I HOPE THAT YOU'RE STILL HERE WITH US. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ROLE THAT CHURCHES AND FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS CAN PLAY IN
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND CITY SERVICES AND WHAT MORE CAN WE DO TO STRENGTHEN THAT CONNECTION? YOU KNOW, I GOT QUESTIONS FOR
EVERYBODY AND AMELIA, AS A BUSINESS OWNER, IF YOU'RE STILL HERE WITH US, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW FEDERAL IMMIGRANT IMMIGRATION POLICIES HAS
AFFECTED YOUR ABILITY TO HIRE AND RETAIN AND SUPPORT WORKERS IN YOUR BUSINESS IN A MORE INTERESTING AND ALSO LEARNING WHAT CITY LEADERS CAN UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE ROLE
IMMIGRANT OWNED BUSINESSES PLAY IN BOSTON'S ECO ECONOMIC ECOSYSTEM AND WHAT POLICIES CAN HELP THEM THRIVE. WHAT I'M REALLY GETTING AT HERE FROM A BUSINESS OWNER IS LIKE
HOW OUR HOW OUR BUSINESSES AND WHAT CAN THE CITY OF BOSTON DO SPECIFICALLY TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT OWNED BUSINESSES WHO ALSO WE KNOW MAY POTENTIALLY
HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED THEY DO HAVE PAPERWORK. THEY'RE PAYING THEIR TAXES. RIGHT. SO THERE'S THIS BELIEF THAT WORKERS ARE NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE BUT FOLKS WHO ARE
WORKING IN SPACES AND PLACES ARE, YOU KNOW, DOCUMENTED TO SOME EXTENT. SO I HOPE YOU ALL WROTE YOUR QUESTIONS DOWN AND I DON'T KNOW AND ANGELA, IF YOU COULD TALK
TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES THAT IMMIGRANT WOMEN FACE WHEN NAVIGATING LEGAL SYSTEMS AND
WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS AND ACCESS TO SERVICES AND HOW DO THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION POLICIES DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT IMMIGRANT WOMEN IN
PARTICULAR IN BOSTON? DOES SOME SO AS WELL AS THE LEAD SPONSOR JULIA I MEAN WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED SO WHOEVER WANTS TO START WITH I DON'T
KNOW WHO YOUR FIRST QUESTION WAS TOO BUT YEAH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START IN PART BECAUSE I WANT TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF MY WOMAN WHOSE SHOULDERS I GET TO STAND ON. THANK YOU, SUZANNE, FOR BEING HERE.
I WANT TO START WITH THIS IDEA THAT THE YOU KNOW, THE TEXT OF THE ACT ITSELF BECAUSE IT DOES SAY THAT IT APPLIES TO NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL
BUT THIS IS WHERE THE ACT CAN BE A LOT MORE EXPLICIT AND A LOT MORE CLEAR AND THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT NOW IN THIS MOMENT BECAUSE WE CANNOT
KNOW LONGER RELY ON FEDERAL LAW TO PROTECT PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT WE COULD IN WAYS THAT WE COULD IN THE PAST. SO AND AS AN EXAMPLE WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS SO BOSTON
PUBLIC SCHOOL PERSONNEL ARE PROHIBITED FROM SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT STUDENTS OR THEIR FAMILIES IMMIGRATION STATUS. IT'S SORT OF IT'S ACTUALLY NOT IN THE TEXT OF THE LAW BECAUSE THE TEXT OF THE LAW IS SO HEAVILY FOCUSED ON LAW
ENFORCEMENT RIGHT NOW. OTHER FOLKS AS YOU KNOW, MY FELLOW EDUCATOR ON THE PANEL HERE MIGHT STAY ACCURATELY HEY, THERE'S A FEDERAL LAW CALLED
SHERPA THAT PROHIBITS THE SHARING OF STUDENT INFORMATION. AS A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR I RELIED HEAVILY ON SHERPA TO AVOID HAVING TO DEAL WITH PARENTS. TO BE HONEST LOVE SHERPA. BUT I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO
REALIZE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RELY ON FEDERAL LAW IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL IN THE AT LEAST IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. SO I WOULDN'T THAT'S ONE PIECE ONE BUCKET. I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE
COUNCIL TO LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE THE THE ACT MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT WHAT NON LAW ENFORCEMENT CITY PERSONNEL, WHAT THEIR
OBLIGATIONS ARE UNDER THE TRUST ACT, WHAT CANON LAW ENFORCEMENT CITY STAFF DO OR NOT TO DO AS WE TRY TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS
FEEL SAFE IN OUR OR OURSELVES AS IMMIGRANTS FEEL SAFE. I WOULD GOING BACK THOUGH TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PIECE AND SO THIS IS SORT OF MY LEGAL SCHOLAR HAT RIGHT NOW.
THERE ARE REFERENCES IN THE IN THE LAW THAT ACTUALLY ARE PART OF ITS STRENGTH AROUND COOPERATION, AIDING YOU KNOW, NARROWING THE COOPERATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ONLY TO CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS.
AND WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO EXPLORE IS MAKING THOSE REFERENCES A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPLICIT. SO THAT THEY'RE ALIGNED WITH HOW WE ACTUALLY DEFINE WHAT A
TRULY CRIMINAL ACT IS BECAUSE THE TRUST ACT ACTUALLY IN SECTION D TWO WAY SPECIFIES COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL LAW THAT WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE BREADCRUMBS ALL THE THINGS THAT IT REFERENCES THE LAWYERS ON OVER HERE KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING
ABOUT WHEN YOU FOLLOW THOSE BREADCRUMBS IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT AGGRAVATED FELONIES RIGHT ? BUT THEN WHEN YOU READ THAT LAW AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL YOU WILL
FIND THAT THAT LAW UNDER AGGRAVATED FELONIES INCLUDES THINGS LIKE SHOPLIFTING AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I DO
NOT DEFINE STEALING BREAD OR DEODORANT OR BABY FORMULA AS AN AGGRAVATED FELONY. BUT THAT IS THE CASE UNDER THIS STATUTE THAT IS REFERENCED IN
THE TRUST ACT THAT UNDER AGGRAVATED FELONIES RICO CASES, RICO OR CONSPIRACY CASES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT COULD BE USED AND ARE CURRENTLY TRYING
TO BE USED BY A CURRENTLY ADMINISTRATION AGAINST SOCIAL MOVEMENT ORGANIZERS ORGANIZING AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES. AND DEPENDING ON HOW THE CURRENT DEA WANTS TO DEFINE
DRUG TRAFFICKING, WE MIGHT ALSO MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS BECAUSE MARIJUANA PRODUCTION SALE AND POSSESSION IS STILL ILLEGAL UNDER FEDERAL LAW. SO COULD THEY GO AFTER A
DELIVERY DRIVER OF PERFECTLY LEGAL IN MASSACHUSETTS CONSUMER MARIJUANA PRODUCTS? YEAH PROBABLY THEY COULD TRY BECAUSE IT'S UNDER THE LAW IS
AN AGGRAVATED FELONY WHICH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ALLOWED TO COOPERATE WITH. IS THAT WHAT WE REALLY WANT? I DON'T WANT THAT. AND SO I WOULD SAY THE ACT
COULD BE STRENGTHENED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT WHAT SPECIFIC AGGRAVATED FELONIES UNDER IMMIGRATION LAW ACTUALLY APPLY. THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY
ABOUT THE TEXT OF THE LAW ANOTHER ASPECT TO CONSIDER STRENGTHENING THERE ARE THERE ARE TWO MAJOR GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING TARGETED UNDER
OUR CURRENT ADMINISTRATION RIGHT NOW IMMIGRANTS OF ALL STATUS. IF YOU ARE AN IMMIGRANT WHETHER YOU ARE WITH OR WITHOUT PAPERS,
WHETHER YOU ARE OF TPS, WHETHER YOU ARE U.S. CITIZENS BECAUSE THERE IS CURRENTLY EFFORTS TO STRIP CITIZENSHIP AMONG CERTAIN PEOPLE, THOSE ARE NUMBER ONE.
THE OTHER THAT'S ONE A, ONE B OR TRANSGENDER FOLKS. SO ONE THING FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER WHETHER IT'S IN THIS ACT OR IN A SEPARATE ACT IS INCORPORATING OTHER GROUPS
OF FOLKS WHO ARE CURRENTLY BEING TARGETED FOR HAVING THEIR RIGHTS STRIPPED FROM THEM. THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER TO STRENGTHEN AND IN
TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION. AGAIN, I WOULD IMAGINE OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND WHERE THEIR OBLIGATIONS ARE UNDER THIS ACT.
SO AS YOU REVIEW THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK, IS THERE ANY REGULAR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DONE SO THAT CITY STAFF KNOW WHAT THEIR OBLIGATIONS ARE?
DO OTHER AND THIS IS PARTICULARLY I THINK IMPORTANT FOR SCHOOLS AND OTHER PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO SENSITIVE INFORMATION BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY DO. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT COULD BE COULD HELP WITH STRENGTHENING THE ACT ITSELF. I ALSO GOING BACK TO AS MY LAST COMMENT TO HOW YOU AND I FIRST MET THAT FIRST TIME AS YOU ARE
LOOKING AT THE IMPLEMENTATION PARTICULARLY ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS AROUND SHARING INFORMATION.
BUT IN PARTICULAR NOT JUST HOW DO WE DECIDE WHAT INFORMATION GETS TO BE SHARED AND HOW THAT INFORMATION GETS SHARED. IT SHOULD ALSO INVOLVE LOOKING
INTO HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE SHARING . THINKING ABOUT THAT YOUNG MAN WHO WAS WHO THEY TRIED TO DEPORT THERE WAS ACTUALLY THREE
ATTEMPTS THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE DO THE ATTEMPTED TO DEPORT WE WERE ABLE TO PREVENT ONE DEPORTATION IN EVERY SINGLE CASE BPOS INDIVIDUAL RESOURCE
OFFICER DETERMINED FOR SOME REASON WAS NEVER ARTICULATED WHY THAT THOSE YOUNG MEN WERE ALL YOUNG BOYS CHILDREN WERE GANG MEMBERS.
HOW DID THEY COME TO THAT DECISION? HOW DID THEY DETERMINE THAT? YOU KNOW, SO I THINK AND LET'S ALSO REMEMBER THERE WAS ALSO THE INCIDENT IN WHICH A BP
OFFICER WITH A LOCAL CONTRACTOR TO HELP HIM AVOID HIS LEGAL UNDER THE LAW WORKER'S COMP OBLIGATIONS BY HAVING ONE OF HIS WORKERS PICKED UP BY ICE.
AND THAT HAPPENED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF BP. SO AS WE THINK ABOUT NOT JUST HOW INFORMATION GETS SHARED BUT HOW DOES THAT INFORMATION GET
CREATED? THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE WORTHY OF EXPLORATION AS YOU EVALUATE THIS LAW AND THEN I'LL SAY TO MY FRIENDS WELL, YOU REALLY TOUCH AN IMPORTANT
ISSUE HERE BECAUSE IN ANY IT'S LIKE I SAID BEFORE EVEN THE TRUST ACT IS SO MUCH ON JUST POLICE WORK BUT IT HAS RIPPLE EFFECTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THE
GOVERNMENT CITY GOVERNMENT DOES. SO IN THIS IN THE CASE OF SCHOOLS THE SECRETARY USUALLY HAVE A LOT
OF INFORMATION BUT THEY ARE NOT TRAINED, THEY ARE NOT TRAINED HOW AND I FEEL THAT ALL THE
INFORMATION THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN ANSWER ANYTHING FROM EXTERNAL THINK IS THE PRINCIPAL OF INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AND THE LEADERS ABSOLUTELY.
THEY HAVE TO BE TRAINED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CURRENT LAW IS AND THE RIGHT WAY BECAUSE WE THROW A LOT AT OUR SCHOOL LEADERS AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS
THE SAME UNDERSTANDING EVEN THE TRACK. YOU CAN ASK ANY SCHOOL LEADER UP CAN BET YOU MORE THAN 50% THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS IN
THEIR I DO I DIDN'T KNOW WHEN WHEN AT ONE TIME THERE WAS A LOT OF DIRECTIVE COME DOWN TO SCHOOL LEADERS THAT ABSOLUTELY TO HOW WE PROTECT HOMELESS STUDENTS.
SO AS SOON AS A STUDENT ASSIGNED TO THE SCHOOL AS SOON AS I LOOK AT THE ACTRESS I KNEW WHICH ONE AND I HAVE TO INSTRUCT THE SECRETARY AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT HALF COURT
IS THAT YOU DON'T DO X, Y AND Z. SO THE LEADER IS THE ONE THAT HAS TO REALLY KNOW. YOU ALMOST SOMETIMES HAVE TO ACT LIKE A LAWYER AND I USUALLY BE SEND THAT BECAUSE I'M NOT A
LAWYER AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO KNOW. BUT RIGHT NOW WE DO WE DO TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR PARENTS AND OUR TEACHERS AND I
OFTEN WHEN PEOPLE COME IN CHARGE IN THE SCHOOLS AND SAY, YOU KNOW, SO-AND-SO DOES NOT LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT, I'M LOOKING AT THEM SAID I'M NOT THE I'M NOT THE POLICE.
I SERVE ALL STUDENTS WHO COME TO THE SCHOOL AND THAT'S MY JOB . SO EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE TRAINED OFHOW IN THE LAW AND I
DO AGREE TO HAVING THAT VERY SPECIFIC IN THE TRUST ACT TO COVER OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD HELP EASE OUR EDUCATORS AND
SOCIETY SO THAT THEY CAN REALLY, REALLY FOCUS ON TEACHING AND LEARNING BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY ARE BOMBARDED BOMBARDED. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I DID NOT
HAVE I COULD NOT HAVE A FULL NIGHT'S OF SLEEP THE 35 YEARS I WAS WORKING AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHERE OF MY SYMPTOM COMES FROM IS COME FROM THAT STRESS WORRYING ABOUT AM I
GOING TO GIVE THE WRONG THING OR WHAT I'M DOING TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN AND THE TEACHERS IS UNDER MY CARE THOSE THAT'S A HEAVY VERY HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY
AND WHAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO GIVE OUR LEADERS TOOLS CLEAR GUIDELINES AND HOW THEY CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THE
STUDENTS AND WE CAN ALL BE BETTER AND AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THOSE THOSE WHAT ARE THEY CALL SAFETY OFFICERS
IN THE SCHOOL WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS ARE WELL-MEANING BUT THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW THEIR POWER OR SOMETIMES THEY DO KNOW AND
THEY WANT TO EXPAND THAT POWER MOST NOT FOR THEM TO DECIDE. RIGHT. SO THE SCHOOL LEADERS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS TO BE VERY TIGHT ON THOSE THINGS AND
THINGS HAS BEEN TOO LOOSEY GOOSEY FOR A LONG TIME. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YOU HAVE ONE.
I THINK THIS IS MICHELLE ETHAN CAMPBELL, PASTOR CAMPBELL. JUST ANSWERING THE QUESTION THAT CONGRESSWOMAN HERE ASKED ME REGARDING CHURCH AND FAITH
INSTITUTIONS AND HOW WE CAN PARTNER. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR WE UNDERSTAND THAT BOSTON IS A SANCTUARY CITY BUT CHURCHES ARE
ACTUAL SANCTUARIES WHERE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES COME IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REALLY FIND PEACE AND SOLACE AND TO BE ABLE TO WORSHIP
FREELY. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS TROUBLING PARTICULARLY IN THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE IS THAT IS THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
SANCTUARIES ARE NO LONGER SACRED AND THAT, YOU KNOW, UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION AND YOU KNOW, THE THREAT OF ICE BEING ABLE TO ENTER INTO A
CHURCH DURING WORSHIP SERVICE AND JUST, YOU KNOW, PULL PEOPLE OUT CAN BE VERY DAUNTING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN RETURN TO A POINT OR PERSPECTIVE WHERE THE CHURCH AND THE SANCTUARY TREE IS ACTUALLY A SACRED PLACE
WHERE IT IS SEPARATE FROM ALL THE POLITICAL AND THE YOU KNOW, THE UNREST WE ARE SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE CHURCH ON THE OTHER HAND ALSO PLAYS MULTIPLE ROLES IN ADDITION TO PLAYING THE ROLE, YOU KNOW, OF SUPPORTING PEOPLE FROM RISK.
FROM A SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBLE PARTY TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY FROM A SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE AS WELL. AND PARTICULARLY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN WHAT WE
HAVE DONE FOR THE ENTIRE EXISTENCE OF THE CHURCH. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY, HAVE ALWAYS PROVIDED
OUR MEMBERS OF OUR CHURCHES WITH SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP. BUT ALSO SOCIAL LEADERSHIP. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ATTORNEYS IN THE CHURCH THAT WE WE SOLICIT
TO COME AND PROVIDE SUPPORT WEEK FOR EDUCATE THE PEOPLE IN OUR CHURCH WHO ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO THE CULTURE,
DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE AND NEED THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. WE'RE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN. BUT WITH THE LAWS AND THESE
REGULATIONS AND EVERYTHING CHANGING SO RAPIDLY, SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION TO THE
PEOPLE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO I THINK IN WAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE COULD PERHAPS GAIN SUPPORT FROM YOU KNOW, THE
CITY COUNCIL IS WITH CONSTANT INFORMAL ACTION BEING DISSEMINATED TO THE CHURCHES TO HELP SUPPORT BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY ARE THE FRONTLINE PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH NOT JUST YOU
KNOW, THE SCHOOLS THE SCHOOLS ARE THE FRONTLINE PEOPLE WHO DEAL WITH THE CHILDREN BUT WE'RE THE FRONTLINE PEOPLE WHO DEAL WITH FAMILIES ALL TOGETHER MOMS, DADS, KIDS EVERYBODY COMES AND EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FOR SUPPORT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THEY'RE LOOKING SUPPORT IS FROM THEIR SPIRITUAL LEADERS AND WE NEED TO ABLE TO HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY LEGAL RESOURCES, FINANCIAL RESOURCES
,ALL TYPES OF SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, CARRY THESE FAMILIES AND HELP THEM THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS PARTICULAR JOURNEY. AND SO IF YOU WERE TO ASK
ME WHAT CAN WE DO IN TERMS OF COLLABORATE IN TERMS OF A COLLABORATIVE, YOU KNOW, WAY TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD, IT WOULD BE TO PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION EDUCATION AND AND
THOSE TYPE OF RESOURCES TO HELP US STAY ON TOP BECAUSE AS THE LAST PREMIER SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ATTORNEYS, WE ARE WE'RE RELIGIOUS LEADERS BUT YET WE HAVING TO PLAY THE ROLE OF AN ATTORNEY. WE'RE HAVING TO PLAY THE ROLE
OF TEACHERS. WE'RE HAVING TO PLAY A ROLE OF OF THE YOU KNOW, CATCH ALL FOR THE COMMUNITY AND WE DO IT GLADLY AND WE DO IT THE BEST WE CAN.
BUT IF THERE ARE WAYS FOR US TO DO IT EVEN BETTER WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TO SUPPORT THAT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I AND OUR PRAYER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE
PEOPLE WILL NOT BE AFRAID TO COME TO CHURCH. OUR PRAYER IS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE SPACES THAT ARE AGAIN SACRED THAT WE ARE NOT
AFRAID OR EVEN IN THE CHURCH WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE PASTOR RUNNING UP AND SAYING OR THE BISHOP RUNNING UP AND SAYING YOU KNOW, IF ICE COMES INTO THE DOOR WE'RE GOING TO LOCK EVERYBODY IN AND NOBODY'S GOING TO LEAVE THE ROOM. I MEAN THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE
CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE ON A SUNDAY MORNING AND YET UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS ALSO THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE STAYING IN AND WE WILL BECAUSE WE WILL THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHETHER A PERSON IS AN IMMIGRANT OR NOT, EVERYBODY WANTS SAFETY. YOU KNOW, WE HAD HEARD A COUPLE OF CALLERS WHO WERE AGAINST, YOU KNOW, THESE ACTS AND OR YOU
KNOW, ARE AGAINST THIS SANCTUARY CITIES AND WE ALL WANT TO BE SAFE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT'S EVEN MORE DIFFICULT WHEN YOU'RE FEELING LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PERPETRATING THE ILL WILL
TOWARDS YOU ARE FOLKS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING YOU AND NOT PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HARMING YOU. AND SO IT'S A BLURRED LINE AS TO WHO ARE WE LEANING ON FOR
PROTECTION AND WHO ARE WE LOOKING TOWARDS? WHO WERE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE AGAINST US? AND AS AN IMMIGRANT IN AN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IT'S IT'S A VERY BLURRED LINE. IT'S A DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW, WAY
TO TO LIVE. AND SO THAT'S MY $0.02. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW MEDIA I'M SO
SORRY MY MY COLLEAGUE MUST BE LIKE ANSWER MEJIA I AM OCCUPYING A LOT OF OXYGEN HERE TODAY BUT I WANT TO BE MINDFUL.
I KNOW THAT NIRBHAYA IS ALSO ONLINE AND AGAIN I'M SORRY I SURE THE QUESTION YOU MIND
REPHRASING AGAIN THE QUESTION YES SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU AS A BUSINESS OWNER MORE MORE SPECIFICALLY I KNOW YOU ALSO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS
BUT WHAT SHOULD CITY LEADERS UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE ROLE IMMIGRANT OWNED BUSINESSES PLAY IN BOSTON'S ECONOMIC ECOSYSTEM AND WHAT POLICIES WILL HELP YOU THRIVE IN THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE?
SO AS A BUSINESS OWNER YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU KNOW YOU'VE YOU HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING WHO ARE AFRAID AND SO WHAT HOW CAN THE CITY RESPOND WHAT WHAT WHAT ROLE CAN
THE CITY PLAY WHETHER IT'S THE SMART THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE HOW CAN WE BE HELPFUL? I MEAN IT'S NOT ONLY OUR EMPLOYEES IS ALSO OUR
CUSTOMERS. SO WE HAVE SEEN A DECREASE IS PEOPLE COMING INTO THE RESTAURANT SO THAT YOU KNOW, CREATE A DOMINO EFFECT.
OUR WAITERS ARE NOT GAINING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY. YOU KNOW IT'S IN PEOPLE EVEN THOUGH THEY STILL PURCHASING FROM THE RESTAURANT THROUGH
APPS OR TAKEOUT BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME AS WHEN SOMEONE SITS DOWN AND HAVE A FULL MEAL WITH APPETIZER MEAL AND A DESSERT AND PERHAPS IT'S LIKE. SO THAT IS DEFINITELY AFFECTING
US. SO POLICIES ACCESS TO FUNDING AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED PROTECTING I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO
PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANTS FROM ALL OF THIS. I MEAN IN FACT IT'S IT'S TERRIBLE WHAT IS HAPPENING
PERHAPS OFFERING MORE JOB TRAINING SO THE PEOPLE LEGAL TO HAVE ACCESS TO LEGAL SUPPORT IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGES IS VERY IMPORTANT AND HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM AND IN TERMS
OF EDUCATION AND IS THE SUPPORT OF OUR FAMILIES TO BE WELCOMING OUR SCHOOLS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THAT'S A SAFE PLACE NOT ONLY FOR THE CHILDREN BUT ALSO FOR THEM.
SO THOSE ARE MY $0.02 ON THIS. I WISH TO HAVE MORE IN THERE BUT I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE LAW AND HOW CAN WE CHANGE THINGS IN ACT? BUT I LOVE WHAT THE LAWYER
BEFORE SAID IT'S UP YOU KNOW THINGS LIKE THAT. I'LL BE MORE DETAIL IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE FIRST ACT.
GLASS I THINK YOU AND BEEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTION JULIA AS LIKE MANY OF US WERE SAYING THE TRUST ACT HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT ON MANY
CASES IN BOSTON. ONE OF THEM HAS TO DO WITH WOMEN AND SO AT CENTRAL PRESENT WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH WOMEN SPECIFICALLY CENTRAL AMERICAN WOMAN HAVE FLED THEIR COUNTRIES
OF ORIGIN DUE TO VIOLENCE. BUT I THINK A CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD UP CENTRAL PRESENTERS THAT VIOLENCE DOESN'T ONLY HAPPEN IN OUR COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN BUT ALSO IN OUR OWN BACKYARDS.
AND SO THERE'S THIS FEAR THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT WHETHER WOMEN ARE GOING TO BE AFRAID OF CALLING 911 BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF BEING DEPORTED IF THERE IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THEIR
HOMES. SO THAT'S AN ASPECT THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. BUT RECENTLY IN THESE PAST DAYS WE'VE HAD AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY WOMEN COMING IN
ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS, WHETHER IT IS SAFE FOR THEM TO DROP THEIR KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL QUESTIONS ABOUT IF THEY'RE SAFE AT WORK, WHO HAS THEIR INFORMATION AND STUFF
LIKE THAT. AND SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING AT CENTRAL PRESENTED AND I THINK IT'S JUST A LOT OF. WE WE'VE BEEN GETTING CALLS DAILY ABOUT LIKE RUMORS THAT
THEY'VE HEARD IF THEY'RE TRUE AND I THINK SOMETHING THE CITY OF BOSTON COULD DO IS JUST DOING LIKE REASSURING THE COMMUNITY OF WHAT'S GOING ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE TRUST ACT AND YET BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION AND YEAH I WON'T TALK FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD I KNOW THAT YOU CONSIDER ME AND REALLY
APPRECIATE THOSE THOUGHTFUL ANSWERS FROM OUR PANELISTS. I'M NOT GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE YOU GOT THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, AND THANK YOU. I FEEL LIKE IN COUNCILMAN HE
HAS QUESTIONS A LOT CAME OUT AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR OFFERING TESTIMONY DR. STRADA LUNA OF COURSE IS IN LEAVE FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
ANGELA THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND YOUR FATHER AROUND BOTH NOT JUST THE TRUST ACT BUT FOR OUR TPS HOLDERS AND FOR SO MANY. AND PASTOR MICHELLE CAMPBELL
PASTOR IT'S IN CAMPBELL I THINK YOU SUMMARIZE IT A LOT OF OUR CHURCHES ARE FRONT LINES FOR COMMUNITIES FEELING SAFE.
IMAN SO MY QUESTIONS ARE REALLY ABOUT DO YOU DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING IN THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY OF WHAT THE TRUST ACT IS WHICH
IS SIMPLY THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL NOT BE IN ENFORCING WILL NOT BE THE ONES ENFORCING ANY
FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW OR ANY FEDERAL CIVIL DETAINER. IS THAT IS THAT GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD IN THE COMMUNITIES AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES THAT YOU'RE A PART OF?
BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT OF CONFUSION BUT I WANT TO KNOW IF THAT IS UNDERSTOOD THE COMMUNITY I'M NOT FULLY FULLY SURE I WOULD LOVE FOR FOR THERE TO BE AN
UNDERSTANDING LIKE DO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT? AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS BECAUSE CHURCHES COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE INFORMAL
INSTITUTIONS THAT PEOPLE TRUST. HOW WHAT ARE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CITY TO GET OUT THAT LIKE THE ACCURATE INFORMATION A LOT OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES USE WHATSAPP OR ARE USE YOU
KNOW OR ON TIKTOK LIKE WHAT ARE THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN BE EITHER SUPPORTING OR FUNDING OR GETTING OUT MESSAGES TO COMMUNITIES IN WAYS THAT THEY WILL THAT WILL PENETRATE
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE OFTENTIMES PARTICULAR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REALLY CONNECTED TO GOVERNMENT AND THIS INSTITUTION . SO IF ANYONE HAS A COMMENT ON
EITHER THOSE I DO SOME SURPRISES IN YOU KNOW BECAUSE I WORK IN CROSS COMMUNITIES AND A LOT OF SPACES AND AND I WOULD
SAY THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT MOST PEOPLE IF THEY NOT A CONSISTENT ATTENDER THAT COMES TO CHURCH, THAT GOES TO CHURCH
OR TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THEY DO NOT KNOW MOST PEOPLE ORDINARY FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY THEY DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE
TRUST THAT SO HAVING SOMETHING LIKE A WHAT EVEN A VERY SIMPLE FACT SHEET NOT SOMETHING FANCY BUT SIMPLE TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY
WHAT IT WOULD A SEAL ON IT WOULD A CITY SEAL ON IT TO MAKE IT IS ILLEGAL IS NOT THAT TO FLY OR SOMEBODY CREATED BUT
IT'S SOMETHING LEGAL FROM THE CITY THAT CAN BE DISSEMINATED
IN OUR CITY DEPARTMENT WEBSITES NEED TO GO OUT THAT EVEN FOR ALL THE PARTICULARLY IF YOU CAN
GO DOWN TO ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES ON ALL LEVELS OFTENTIMES THEY THE FIRST ONE TO SEE FOLKS RIGHT?
YEAH I'LL BET YOU MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO BUILD I WOULD OH I ALSO WANT TO BUILD ON YOUR POINT. I FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW IN THE
LATINO COMMUNITY THEY ALSO DO NOT KNOW I THINK RIGHT NOW AT THE MOMENT WITH SO MUCH FEAR. THEY SEE SOMEONE IN ANY TYPE OF SUIT AND THEY FEEL AFRAID AND SO THEY DON'T REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW AT THE MOMENT AND ICE. AND SO IT'S JUST THAT LIKE THAT FEAR THAT'S IN OUR COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW AND YEAH, A STATEMENT
LIKE THAT WOULD TEACH A LOT TO LIKE THE LATINO COMMUNITY AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN BOSTON. YEAH COMMUNITY AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN BOSTON. YEAH, I HUNDRED PERCENT I WOULD JUST GO AHEAD PASTOR I'M SORRY. PLEASE GO.
YES, I WOULD I WOULD JUST ADD FROM THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY I KNOW IN OUR CHURCH AND YOU KNOW AS PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE YOU'VE BEEN TO MY CHURCH AND SO HAS
COUNCILWOMAN MEJIA YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TO THE CHURCH THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT ANYBODY REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE TRUST ACT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT ANYBODY REALLY KNOWS. IT'S JUST ALL THEY KNOW IS THAT
THAT WHEN THEY SEE A POLICE OFFICER COME IN, THEY'RE AFRAID THAT THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO DEPORT. THAT'S ALL THAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT. I THINK THE WAY TO SUPPORT THAT
IS, YOU KNOW, YES, PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH. BUT ALSO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OR PEOPLE IN THE CITY COUNCIL TO COME TO THE CHURCHES LIKE YOU
GUYS HAVE COME TO MY CHURCH AND BEFORE AND JUST HAVING THE FLOOR AND KIND OF DOING A KIND OF A ROAD TRIP WHERE YOU'RE GOING ON SUNDAYS TO VARIOUS CHURCHES, TO IMMIGRANT CHURCHES
TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION EVEN IF IT'S FOR 510 MINUTES AND STAND UP AND SAY I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF CITY COUNCIL TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT, YOU KNOW AND YOU DON'T NEED TO BE AFRAID
OF THIS AND DON'T AFRAID OF THAT BUT THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO. IF SOMETHING WERE TO TAKE PLACE. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT EVEN WITH THAT THERE IS GENERAL FEAR FOR THE POLICE
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE GET PULLED OVER AND SOMETIMES THERE ARE FALSE NARRATIVES THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE
NOT DOING ANYTHING ILLEGAL OR ARE NOT CRIMINALS. AND SO THEY HEAR THESE STORIES THEN AND IT REALLY DOES PLAY WITH THEIR EMOTIONS AND IT PLAYS WITH THE PSYCHE AND SO I DON'T KNOW OTHER THAN I THINK
THAT WOULD BE A HUGE PIECE IS KIND OF DOING A YOU KNOW, SCHEDULING A ROAD TRIP WHERE VARIOUS CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS DISTRICTS WILL GO AND GO TO WHERE TO IMMIGRANT CHURCHES AND HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS STAND A VISIT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SAY THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT, THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE WOULD BE A GREAT SUPPORT. YES. THEY HEAR FROM THE PASTORS I PERSONALLY TALK ABOUT IT ON A
REGULAR BASIS. YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MIRRABOOKA IS. I LIKE THE INFORMATION ABOUT ME ALL THE TIME AND TELL THEM
TO GO TO THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATED INFORMATION AND ALL LANGUAGES. YOU KNOW I DO THIS REAL BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT PEOPLE AREN'T AFRAID. I THINK IF THEY SEE SOMEBODY WHO IS ACTUALLY SOMEBODY IN CITY COUNCIL OR IN GOVERNMENT
COMING IN TO SAY YOU DON'T NEED TO BE AFRAID WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU, THAT GOES LONG WAY. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY TO ANGELA'S POINT ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IT'S ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS IS THAT
BECAUSE THEY THINK ONE OFFICERS THE SAME AND YOU SEE IT IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE AND RISES IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH MORE PEOPLE STAYING AT HOME WITH PEOPLE LESS LIKELY TO CALL THE POLICE WHEN IMMIGRANTS ARE NOW
MORE LIKELY TO CALL THE POLICE. AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS I THINK THAT THIS IS REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO PIGGYBACK AND ADD ONE THING THAT HASN'T
BEEN SAID YET 100% AGREE WITH ALL OF THIS. THOSE OF US WHO ARE WORKING ON THE GROUND WITH OUR FOLKS AND EVEN HEARING THE PASTOR MENTIONED LIKE LEGAL SUPPORT RESOURCES FOR LEGAL SUPPORT IS
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL RIGHT NOW. YEAH, EVEN JUST TO ANSWER BASIC QUESTIONS JUST TO ANSWER PEOPLE'S BASIC QUESTIONS THAT ACTUALLY WOULD BE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SUPPORT.
AND SO IF IN THE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS NO MORE MONEY CAN BE FUNNELED TO MOYA WHO ALREADY HAS A PROCESS FOR PROVIDING FUNDING FOR LEGAL SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANTS THAT ACTUALLY WOULD
BE HUGE BECAUSE WE RELY ON ON EVEN ME IS DOING WHAT A LOT OF FOLKS HERE ALREADY DO ALSO ARE YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE RUMORS ABOUT WHAT CAN AND CAN'T HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, I'M HERE I HAVE A
PH.D. IN LAW BUT I CAN'T BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY 20 47I DO HAVE TO SLEEP AND I YOU KNOW, I HAVE CATS, I HAVE A HUSBAND AND I GOT TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT HUMANS HAVE TO DO. SO HOW CAN WE GET MORE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A KIND OF LEGAL
TRAINING TO PROVIDE THAT? JUST TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT ACTUALLY WOULD BE HUGE AND WE'VE BEEN PUTTING IN THAT BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS AND WE'RE DOING IT THE WAY DOES A GREAT JOB OF THE
CONSULT THE CONSULTATION EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY WITH THE LAWYERS A 50 MINUTES IT'S IT'S TOO SHORT FOR OUR IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY SO THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING THAT AND WE'RE WORKING ON IT. ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL PREPARED AND YOU HAVE 6 MINUTES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR AMAZING TESTIMONIES AND EARLIER HERE TODAY I REALLY ADMIRE ALL
THE WORK YOU ALL DO AND I'M A HUGE FOLLOWER. SUZANNE, YOU BRING UP SUCH A GREAT POINT ABOUT THE CHILDREN REALLY BEING KIND OF A BIG
GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE USUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS. BUT I REALLY FEEL THE IMPACT. MY QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WE CAN BETTER STRENGTHEN
THE THE TRUST ACT TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND WHAT THIS IMPACT HOW MAY IMPACT THEM? WELL, I THINK LUNA, YOU
MENTIONED THAT TO BE REALLY CLEAR WHAT EXACTLY THE TRUST ACTS CAN COVER AND IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN ADD TO
THAT THAT WOULD GIVE DIRECTION ON HOW SCHOOLS SHOULD CONDUCT THEMSELVES AND THAT WOULD GET
DOWN TO THE SCHOOL LEVEL THE SECRETARIES, EVEN THE OTHER CLERIC WITH LUNCH MONITORS I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FIGHTS I HAVE WITH LUNCH MONITORS BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY WORK IN THE SCHOOL AND THEY KNOW
EVERYTHING BUT THEY DON'T THEY OFTEN GIVE FALSE INFORMATION. SO EVEN IF YOU WRITTEN INTO THE
AN ACT IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS WE IMPLEMENT IT IN THE WAY THAT YOU PENETRATE ALL THE WAY DOWN YOU KNOW, TO EVERYDAY FOLKS. DO YOU THINK THAT THERE IS
ENOUGH INFORMATION COMING FROM CPS ABOUT WHAT RIGHTS EVERYONE HAS? I HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER ABOUT THIS NOT TOO LONG AGO BECAUSE
ONE OF THE SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT THE MANHUNT WAS REALLY GOING THROUGH A LOT OF ISSUES WHERE PARENTS RIGHTFULLY SO RIGHT. ARE JUST SCARED TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL.
DO YOU THINK THERE'S ENOUGH COLLABORATION BETWEEN CENTRAL OFFICE, BETWEEN EVEN US, THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO THE SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION AT YOUR
DISPOSAL? YEAH, I THINK WELL IT'S LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE YOU GET A PIECE OF PAPER OR YOU GET A DIRECTIVE. SO HOW FAR DOES THAT GO? THERE REALLY HAS TO BE SOME
INTENT CHANNEL TALK, INTENTIONAL DISCUSSION WITHIN WHENEVER THEY HAVE ALL THE SCHOOL LEADERS TOGETHER.
I REMEMBER WHEN WHEN PUBLIC SAFETY RIGHT AFTER 911 WE SPENT ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME FOR SCHOOL LEADERS TO UNDERSTAND
HOW DO WE PUT TECH AND OFFICE AND OTHER DOORS THE LOCK AND YOU BECOME HAVING THIS THIS SPACE THAT NOBODY CAN COME IN IT SENDS A FRIGHTENING MESSAGE
TO OUR KIDS. BUT HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY DO THAT WORK IN THE WAY THAT MAKE THEM SAFE? SO THAT TAKES INTENTIONAL DISCUSSION AND TIME RIGHT NOW I
DON'T THINK THIS THAT THAT KIND OF INTENTIONAL THINKING FROM I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY BECAUSE WE HAD PARENTS COME TO OUR
STAFF AT MUTUAL ADC AND THESE BOSTON WITH THE LETTERS THAT CAME OUT FROM SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER AND WHAT IS I THINK DIFFICULT ABOUT THAT
IS IT'S A LETTER THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND AND I CAN READ AND I AND I SEE I CAN READ BETWEEN THE LINES BECAUSE IT'S MY JOB TO DO THAT. BUT IF YOU'RE A REGULAR PARENT
YOU KNOW YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE NECESSARILY SAYING. SO IT DOESN'T THE COMMUNICATION IS BEEN THERE EXCEPT THAT I DON'T KNOW IT'S NOT CLEAR TO
ME EITHER TO THE PARENTS OR TO THE STAFF WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS IN ACTION. AND SO I THINK IT'S COMPLETELY LEGITIMATE FOR A PARENT WHO IS LIKE DOES THIS MEAN THAT YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO LET MY KID BE TAKEN BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE LETTER DOESN'T STATE THAT RIGHT. RIGHT. AND SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THAT KIND OF FLAHERTY USING LANGUAGE THAT I AS A MEMBER
OF MY COMMUNITY, MY COMMANDERS OVER HERE AT CENTRAL PRESENTED THAT WE CAN TELL OUR COMMUNITY THIS IS HOW THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE AN ENTITLEMENT TO. THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO THAT HASN'T BEEN MADE CLEAR
SO I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT THE LAW SAYS AND WE CAN'T REALLY RELY ON FEDERAL LAW RIGHT NOW. YEAH, YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN
REALIZING THAT THERE REALLY HAS THERE'S KIND OF A LACK OF CLEAR COMMUNICATION WITH RESIDENTS. I, I WAS AT A SORT A BARBERSHOP THIS PAST FRIDAY TALKING TO THE OWNER OF THE BARBERSHOP AND THE
CLIENTS AND IT WAS REALLY SAD BECAUSE AFTER I GOT THE HAIRCUT THEY SAT ME DOWN AND THEY WERE LIKE SO WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN? WHAT RIGHTS DO WE HAVE?
AND IT TURNED INTO AN HOUR EXTRA SESSION FOR ME TO KIND OF BREAK DOWN WHAT IS THE BOSTON TRUST ACT? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? SO I THINK THAT I'M GOING TO CALL ON MY COLLEAGUES WHO AGREE
WITH THE BOSTON TRUST FOR US FOR US TO KIND OF TRANSLATE THAT IN A BETTER WAY TO OUR CALLS. I LOVE THE IDEA FROM ONE OF THE THE THE PANELISTS ABOUT GOING DIRECTLY TO THE CHURCH IS GOING
DIRECTLY TO THE DIFFERENT PLACES GOING TO THE SCHOOLS POTENTIALLY TO HAVE THESE TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION. I THINK THERE'S SOME CLEAR MESSAGING WOULD BE BETTER. I KNOW THAT MY TIME IS COMING UP.
SO WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO WRAP UP FOR ME IS JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU FOR BEING SO BRAVE AS
WELL. I TRULY DO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR ME, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK ACOSTA PREPARED COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING FOR THE INFORMATIVE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED US ON.
ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE SUZANNE LEE FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP AS AN EDUCATOR IN BOSTON FOR SO MANY YEARS. MR.
MR CHAIR, I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES BUT MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT'S COME IN SOME
OF MY QUESTIONS WOULD BE TO THE PANEL BUT ALSO TO THE BOSTON POLICE IF THEY WERE HERE. BUT IT WAS THE BOSTON POLICE
INVITED I THINK WE MY OFFICE COLLABORATED WITH COUNSELOR HE HAS OFFICE TO LEAD SPONSOR ON THIS I THINK THE IDEA WAS TO TRY TO USE OUR GOAL WAS TO HEAR
OUR COMMUNITY AND TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE ON THE GROUND SO THEY WERE THEY DID NOT RECEIVE AN OFFICIAL QUOTATION FROM EVERYBODY. OKAY. SOME OF SOME OF THE COMMENTS
THAT I HEARD FROM THE PANEL RELATING TO INFORMATION SHARING OR CLEAR COMMUNICATION WITH BOSTON RESIDENTS I AGREE WITH YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE PROCESS
OF CITY OFFICIALS WHETHER IT'S THE BOSTON POLICE, WHETHER IT'S THE CITY COUNCILORS, WHETHER IT'S THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. BUT WHAT IS THE PROCESS OR OR DATA THAT THAT WE SHARE WITH
RESIDENTS IN A FORMAL WAY BUT THAT HASN'T HAPPENED I BELIEVE HASN'T MR CHAIR, I DO NOT BELIEVE SO BUT I'M HAPPY TO AS
CHAIR GET YOUR QUESTIONS INTO INTO THE RECORD AND SUBMIT THEM TO THE ADMINISTRATION ON YOUR BEHALF. COUNCILOR FLYNN OKAY. THANK YOU.
I, I ALSO AS COUNCILOR PEPEN MENTIONED, RESIDENTS WANT TO HEAR A CLEAR COMMUNICATION ABOUT WHAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE.
BUT MAYBE MAYBE MY QUESTION WOULD BE TO SUZANNE LEE. SUZANNE, IS THERE ANY TYPE OF OFFICIAL POLICY FROM THE
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IF IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS DO COME TO THE SCHOOL, DO THEY HAVE WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS THAT WHAT THEY CAN DO AND WHAT THEY CAN'T DO?
I GUESS I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING ANYTHING FROM WHAT I KNOW OF ALL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IT
WAS ADVISED THAT SOMEBODY THAT NO NO SCHOOL LEADERS CAN EVER TALK TO X, Y AND Z LIKE THE MEDIA, THE POLICE ON ANYTHING
JUST THAT THE CENTRAL OFFICE HAS A LEGAL TEAM WOULD TAKE ALL QUESTIONS. SO IS FOR THE SCHOOL LEADER TO REFER EVERYTHING TO CENTRAL OFFICE HOW THAT IS BEING
IMPLEMENT IS IS WORKING I DON'T KNOW. OKAY THANK YOU SUZANNE. I DO. I DO THANK AND AGAIN, I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL AND I DON'T WANT
TO BE DISAGREEABLE WITH WITH ANYONE BUT I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT IN MY OPINION ONLY FOR US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE BOSTON POLICE, WITH
THE STATE POLICE AND WITH FEDERAL OFFICIALS AT LEAST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS TAKING PLACE ,WHAT THEY EXPECT FROM
RESIDENTS, WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO, WHAT THEIR PLAN IS, WHAT THE IF THE FEDERAL PLAN IS DIFFERENT FROM A CITY PLAN OR IF A CITY PLAN IS DIFFERENT FROM A STATE PLAN, HOW ALL
THREE CITIES, STATE AND FEDERAL WORK TOGETHER OR DO NOT WORK TOGETHER BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT EVERYONE'S PLAN.
I THINK THAT WOULD INFORM US AS A CITY I WOULD INFORM RESIDENTS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT EACH PERSON OR EACH DEPARTMENT OR EACH AGENCY WILL DO AS IT
RELATES TO THE TRUST ACT OR SANCTUARY CITY BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRUST ACT. I DON'T HAVE A CLEAR
UNDERSTANDING OF SANCTUARY CITY WHAT IT DOES DO, WHAT IT DOESN'T DO, WHAT IMPACT IT HAS, HOW IT IMPACTS RESIDENTS, HOW
IT IMPACTS UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS. BUT I DO THINK AS PART OF THOSE AS PART OF THOSE QUESTIONS I DO
THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AS DIFFICULT AS IT MAY BE WITH WITH BOSTON POLICE, WITH THE STATE POLICE AND WHAT FEDERAL OFFICIALS OFFICIALS I
DON'T KNOW IS THERE DO DO DO AGREE WITH THAT OR AGAIN WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL BUT I JUST I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT ANYONE ON THE
SPOT THOUGH. WELL, I ALWAYS FELT IF I'M OKAY TO TO CHIME IN HERE THAT EVEN THE WAY THAT THE TRUST ACT IS WRITTEN IS ALL ABOUT POLICE,
RIGHT? LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE DETAILS THAT ARE IN THE TRUST AFTER ALL ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TO THAT POINT THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD ACCORDING TO
SECTION C IN THE TRUST ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL IS SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE AN ANNUAL REPORT FROM B PD AROUND AND IT LISTS FOUR
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT BPD IS SUPPOSED TO REPORT TO YOU ALL ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WHETHER OR NOT I MEAN IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU'VE RECEIVED IT, WHETHER YOU YOU KNOW, WHETHER THOSE REPORTS
ARE CLEAR AND GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED. I THINK THAT'S IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING THAT THAT'S A QUESTION THAT I THINK IS DEFINITELY WORTHY OF EXPLORATION IF THE
INFORMATION IN THOSE REPORTS ARE INSUFFICIENT. BUT THAT IS ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I THINK IS WORTHY OF EXPLORING. I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT
BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THAT THAT WE TEND TO DO THINGS IN ISOLATION AND SO ONCE THAT THAT'S ON AND WHAT THE OTHER ONE IS DOING BUT WHEN IN CASES LIKE THIS IN THIS
TIME THE MORE COLLABORATION AND BRINGING TOGETHER A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, DIFFERENT PIECES LIKE THE SCHOOL AND THE POLICE AND OTHER AND HOW WE START TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TRUST ACT IS CAN BE VERY HELPFUL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT AUTHORITY OR HOW YOU GET THAT DONE. LIKE YOU SAID, YOU DON'T EVEN
KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE TRUST ACTS WORK, RIGHT? I CERTAINLY DON'T. SO WE DEPEND IF IF THE PUBLIC
IF YOU WANT THE PUBLIC TO FEEL MORE SECURE, MORE SAFE THEN WE HAVE TO GO BEYOND WHAT'S WRITTEN IN THAT PIECE OF PAPER AND BRING THE DIFFERENT PIECES
TOGETHER SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE IT AND HEAR IT THAT. THANK YOU, SUZANNE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
I THINK THAT YOU CAN I SAY SOMETHING, COUNCILWOMAN? HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND I WANT TO JUST THANK MY COLLEAGUE FOR HIS QUESTIONS AND I AND AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE HEARING DOCKET THAT I FILED AND
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SERIES OF HEARINGS ON THIS PARTICULAR DOCKET. SO I WANTED TO SWITCH THINGS UP AND LEAD WITH COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
POLICYMAKING PROCESS NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE AND THAT IS REALLY LEANING IN TO FOLKS WHO ARE NAVIGATING HEALTH CARE, FAITH BASED OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, OUR BUSINESSES, OUR RESIDENTS LIKE
OUR NONPROFIT LEADERS SO THAT THE TONE OF THIS HEARING HAS BEEN MODIFIED SLIGHTLY BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING TO EVALUATE WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT
CENTERING PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING THE REALITIES AND OR DOING THE WORK ARE THE FRONT LINE FOLKS WHO CAN HELP GROUND US AND WHAT THAT WORK NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE. COUNSELOR FLYNN SO THAT WHEN WE
DO BRING IN BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHEN WE BRING IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND I'M ALSO GOING TO ASK FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TO BE HERE BECAUSE THERE'S ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, HEALTH CARE.
AND I'M ALSO GOING TO ASK TO INVITE THE CHIEF OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INTO THIS CHAMBER BECAUSE THIS COLLABORATIVE CONVERSATION NEEDS EVERYONE AT THE TABLE.
SO THERE WILL BE MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR HEARING ORDER. IT'S NOT GOING TO END WITH JUST TODAY'S HEARING. SO THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES
AND THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE ASKING WILL DEFINITELY BE ENGAGING CITY OFFICIALS ON THAT JOURNEY SO THAT WE CAN ALL GET CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS MOMENT MEANS. BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO GET
CLEAR WITH WHAT THIS MOMENT MEANS, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRUST ACT IS VERY SPECIFIC TO ONE AREA OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER SPACES AND PLACES
THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED WITHIN THE ACT WHERE WE ARE SEEING IMPACTS FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO CHURCH, WHO ARE NOT CALLING WHEN THEY FEEL UNSAFE
AT HOME, WHEN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SCHOOL AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WORK AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO TRICKLE DOWN TO THE IMPACT THAT WE AS A CITY WHEN OUR BUDGET COMES DOWN THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
SO THIS IS A TIMELY CONVERSATION AND THERE WILL BE MORE HEARINGS SO THAT WE CAN UNPACK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE ASKED. SO DOES THAT FEEL FAIR TO YOU? YES, IT DOES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE
CONSTANTLY AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN HERE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU PANEL FOR WHAT WAS A VERY
EDUCATE FINAL HEARING TODAY. I THINK I UNDERSTAND AT LEAST SOME OF THE MORE COMPLEXITIES OF THE TRUST ACT, THE DEEPER EVEN REFERENCING THE DIFFERENT ARTICLES WITHIN AND WHAT THEY MEAN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND
UNDERSTANDING THOSE COMPLEXITIES. I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HELP FOLKS UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REAL PURPOSE OF THIS ACT IS. THAT BEING SAID, I DO AGREE
WITH MY FRIEND COUNCILOR FLYNN AND THAT WHEN I WAS PUTTING MOST OF MY QUESTIONS TOGETHER FOR TODAY'S HEARING THAT WAS AROUND THE COLLABORATION WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AS WE THOUGHT THAT WAS SORT OF THE REAL CRUX
OF WHERE SOME OF THE SHOULD I SAY WORDS WHERE SOME OF THE FRICTION IS RIGHT. SO I'M GOING TO SWITCH IT UP A LITTLE AND SORT OF WITH THIS WITH THE WITH THE BRAINPOWER THAT WE HAVE ON TODAY'S PANEL
AND ASK YOU ALL SORT OF EVEN HIGHER THAN THE TRUST ACT. RIGHT. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT POLICIES IS ADVICE, IDEAS, PROCEDURES, PROCESSES IF YOU
WILL, THAT YOU THINK WOULD HELP IMMIGRATION RUN BETTER? RIGHT. BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HEARD SOME OTHER ISSUES OF AND THERE ARE SOME FEARS THAT FOLKS HAVE THIS SUMMER UNFOUNDED. SOME MIGHT MAY BE BETTER
FOUNDED AND TO ADDRESS FOLKS LIKE THAT WHERE WHERE IS HELP HELP US SORT OF FIND A WAY THAT YOU THINK HEY, THIS IS A MORE APPROPRIATE AVENUE TO DO THIS
BUT STILL BE EFFECTIVE IN CARRYING OUT OTHER SEGMENTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER ACTIVITIES, IF YOU WILL. AND AGAIN, DON'T WANT TO PUT ANYONE ON THE SPOT. I MEAN THIS IS THAT'S SORT OF A
BIG QUESTION. BUT AGAIN, I YEAH, I THINK WITH THIS PANEL I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO JUST SAY HERE ARE SOME IDEAS THAT MIGHT WORK BETTER IN THE CONSTITUENCY AND INTERESTED TO HEAR THOSE AS
WELL BECAUSE I'D BE LYING IF I SAID IMMIGRATION WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL IMMIGRATION IS NOT WHERE YOU SAY OKAY I'VE GOT TO REALLY HUNKER DOWN AND STUDY THE DETAILS HERE. IT'S MORE RIGHT THE CITY
SERVICES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE BUT THIS IS BECOMING A CITY SERVICE TOPIC REALLY AND SO LOOK TO YOU ALL TO SORT OF EDUCATE ME PLEASE AND THANK
YOU, MR FITZGERALD. THIS IS PASTOR CAMPBELL. IT'S IN CAMPBELL AGAIN, I THINK I APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR QUESTION AND THE THE MAIN THING THAT
COMES TO MY MIND BASED ON THE INDIVIDUALS THAT THAT WE WORK WITHIN WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY IS UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEN AS IMMIGRANTS ARE BEING
DEMONIZED AS CRIMINALS AND JUST BECAUSE WE'D BE AND MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT ARE THESE PEOPLE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT BORN IN THIS COUNTRY AND THEY HAVE IMMIGRATED FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY TO THIS COUNTRY. DOES IT MAKE THEM A CRIMINAL?
BUT IT'S AUTOMATICALLY SEEN THAT IF THERE'S A CRIME THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY IT'S AN IMMIGRANT PERSON IS A SITUATION IT'S AN IMMIGRANT PERSON. WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMMITTING
CRIMES ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR CRIMES THAT THEY COMMIT. BUT IF THE CRIME IS MOVING FROM ONE COUNTRY BECAUSE OF UNREST TO ANOTHER COUNTRY COMING HERE, IS THAT A CRIME? I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT HERE AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOR US TO KIND OF REALLY STREAMLINE AND IDENTIFY THAT THAT ICE OR THIS ADMINISTRATION IS GOING AFTER
CRIMINALS, PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTING REAL CRIME AND WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT SOMEBODY WHO'S BLACK AND BROWN OR WHO HAS AN ACCENT AND SAYING THAT THEY ARE THE CRIMINAL AND WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IMMIGRATION IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH CRIMINALITY. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST THE BIGGEST HURDLE TO TO GO OVER. AND ONCE WE CAN GET OVER THAT HURDLE AND WE CAN UNDERSTAND
THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS ARE ALSO PEOPLE WHO ARE RAISING THEIR FAMILY, WHO ARE HARD WORKERS, WHO ARE SPIRITUAL, WHO ARE INTELLECTUALS AS WELL. AND THEY'RE NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO EDUCATION. THAT'S NOT THE TRUTH. THESE ARE INTELLECTUALS.
THESE ARE THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE EDUCATED. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRISTIAN, THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE WHO ARE SPIRITUAL AND PEOPLE WHO ARE RAISING THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL. AND WE'RE NOT EQUATING THAT TO
CRIMINALIZATION. THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG HURDLE. AND THEN FROM THERE I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANK YOU. BEST IF I MAY JUST OFFER I THINK WHAT YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THAT QUESTION BUT AS A CITY WE NEED TO AND AS LEADERS WE OFTEN HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW HOW WE
TALK AND WHAT WE EMPHASIZE OUT IN PUBLIC CAN HELP CHANGE MINDSET BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE HEARING IS THAT
DIVISIVE AND IT'S AND AND LIKE YOU SAID, EVERYTHING ANYBODY WHO AN IMMIGRANT MUST BE PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE DARK SKINNED, YOU MUST BE A CRIMINAL THAT KIND OF THING DOESN'T COST
YOU MONEY TO DEAL WITH THAT. BUT IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF ENERGY AND LABOR INTENTIONAL ON OUR PART, ON EVERYBODY'S PART TO HELP CHANGE THOSE
MINDSET AND IT'S NOT NECESSARY IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE A POLICY THAT CAN DEAL WITH IT BUT IT'S AMONG ALL OF US AS LEADERS HOW DO WE EVEN
INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER? HOW DO WE EVEN TALK TO A NEIGHBORS IN PUBLIC? THOSE CAN GO A LONG WAY AND
STOP POLITICIZING CERTAIN THINGS THAT MAKE THINGS WORSE. SO I THINK ALL OF US HAVE A ROLE IN THAT. THANK YOU. I, I, I HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW
SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY I DON'T DISAGREE AND ALSO I GUESS I WOULD ADD I WOULD INVITE YOU TO TAKE UP THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S IN THE TRUST ACT WHICH IS TO
REAFFIRM THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON THIS CITY IS NOT AN AGENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY NOR IS IT OUR ROLE TO ENFORCE
FEDERAL CIVIL LAWS BECAUSE IF WE WERE TO DO THAT THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO JUSTIFY WHY WOULD WE CHOOSE ONLY THIS SUBSET OF FEDERAL CIVIL LAWS?
WHY AREN'T WE ALSO THEN ENFORCING SCC VIOLATIONS? WHY WOULDN'T WE BE ENFORCING VIOLATIONS OF THE SPAM ACT BOTH OF WHICH HAVE MUCH GREATER IMPACTS ON THE LIVES OF OUR
RESIDENTS THAN IMMIGRATION CIVIL THAN UNLAWFUL ENTRY MIGHT . SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE CITY OF BOSTON TO EMBRACE THE IDEA
THAT WE ARE NOT AGENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THAT OUR SERVICES SHOULD NOT BE DETERMINED BY THE WHIMS AND THE VAGARIES OF PEOPLE THAT WE OFTEN DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER
BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A LARGE COUNTRY AND SO MUCH OF THIS COUNTRY IS GERRYMANDERED IN WAYS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFLUENCE ON WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES OR DOES NOT DO. SO IF THE CITY WANTS TO DO
SOMETHING AROUND IMMIGRATION SPECIFICALLY UNDERSTAND AND REINFORCE THAT IMMIGRANTS PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE
FOREIGN BORN OR THE CHILDREN OF FOREIGN BORN PEOPLE HAVE RIGHTS THAT HELP US ENSURE OR STRENGTHEN PEOPLES RIGHTS.
THAT'S WHAT THE PERSONAL LIBERTY LAW DID IN 1855 IS IT PUT DUE PROCESS PROTECTIONS TO AND IN SELF EMANCIPATED BLACK
PEOPLE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS STATE AND THIS CITY FROM BEING COMPLICIT IN AN IMMORAL ACT. IMMIGRANTS HAVE RIGHTS AND WHAT
THE CITY SHOULD DO IS FOCUS LESS ON THE RHETORIC OF WHAT'S GOING ON NATIONALLY AND MORE ON HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT PEOPLE
KNOW THEIR RIGHTS AND HOW DO WE STRENGTHEN THE RIGHTS THAT THEY HAVE ON END. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER KIND OF BUT I KNOW MY TIME IS UP HERE SO I APPRECIATE IT.
JUST WANT TO AGAIN SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE EDUCATION FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, FROM A CULTURE, FROM A CURRENT EVENTS PERSPECTIVE AND AGAIN HELPS US YOU KNOW YOUR HISTORY
AND YOU KNOW YOUR CURRENT EVENTS YOU CAN FIND OUT WHERE YOU'RE GOING SO I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD ALSO I AM SO SORRY COUNSELOR BREADON AND I FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU EARLIER.
YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME. WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNSELOR BREADON AND DID NOT MENTION THAT EARLIER. I'M GOING TO GO TO COUNSELOR WEBER AND THEN I GO TO COUNSELOR UP FOR YOUR LINE OF QUESTIONING. SO COUNSELOR WEBER, YOU HAVE
THE OTHER FLOOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. I GUESS A COUPLE OF COMMENTS I THINK FOR SUZANNE I BELIEVE PEEPS THE SCHOOL LEADERS WERE
SENT A MEMO SIMILAR TO IN OTHER CITIES THAT EXPLAINS WHAT TO DO WHEN ICE COMES TO THE DOOR. AND THE BASIC ANSWER IS YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT LET THEM IN
WITHOUT JUDICIALLY SIGNED WARRANT AND THAT EVEN WHEN THEY DO PRODUCE A WARRANT HAVE IT REVIEWED BY SOMEONE IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. AND SO I WAS ENCOURAGED BY THAT
WHEN I SAW THE MEMO. YOU KNOW, A MONTH AGO AND YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. ANOTHER THING IS OF TRUTH
OF THE REPORTS, DR. LUNA I BELIEVE THOSE ARE WE GOT THOSE THAT REPORT LAST YEAR. I THINK WE HAVE THEM FOR ALMOST ALL THE TWO YEARS FROM 2015 TO
TODAY. UH, THERE WAS A COVERED I DON'T KNOW 2019, 2020. UH, AND SO ONE THING I MEAN I'VE READ ALL THE CASES AND
LOOKED AT EVERYTHING I MEAN THE BOSTON TRUSTS ACT YOU KNOW I BELIEVE IT WAS SORT OF THE I THINK KEVIN TALKED ABOUT THE COMMANDEERING ANTI COMMANDEERING DOCTRINE. WE DON'T ALLOW OUR OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT OR ANY OTHER RESOURCES TO BE COMMANDEERED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SO AND USED IN THIS WAY. BUT YOU KNOW I DON'T WANT TO OVERSELL THE TRUST ACT TO THE
COMMUNITY I MEAN ALL WE CAN DO IS SAY YOU SEE BOSTON POLICE OFFICER THAT PERSON IS NOT AN IMMIGRATION AGENT. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ASSIST IN SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO RESULT IN YOUR REMOVAL OR THE
REMOVAL OF YOUR FAMILY THAT YOU KNOW, WE WE CAN'T STOP THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ICE AGENT FROM DOING EXACTLY THAT. SO IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT WE DO
THAT'S EFFECTIVE, I WAS INTERESTED IN A FEW THINGS. ONE IS MR PALMER WE TALKED AT LEAST IN THE COMMUNITY AND MIRA WHICH I KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS AND THAT THAT TO
ME IS SOMETHING OKAY IT'S IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO THAT WE HAVE RED CARDS I IF MOYA'S LISTENING WE NEED THEM IN SPANISH WE I THINK THEY RAN OUT OBVIOUSLY LIKE CAN YOU JUST
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW IS HAS THAT BEEN EFFECTIVE? IS IT SOMETHING YOU KNOW WE NEED TO DO MORE OF? MM YEAH YEAH. SO WHEN IT COMES TO NO YOUR
RIGHTS TRAININGS IT'S NOT ANYTHING NEW THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS PAST ADMINISTRATIONS WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN HAVING KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS WE'VE JUST BEEN AMPLIFYING THE AMOUNT OF KNOW
YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS WE'VE BEEN HAVING. THE MONTH OF RED CARDS WERE DISTRIBUTING AND SENT REPRESENT THE ACTUALLY HAS THEIR OWN LITTLE BOOKLET IN SPANISH AS WELL IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED
BUT YEAH IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL IN THE COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONVERSATIONS OF THE TRUST ACT AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS ALSO HAD A LOT OF INFORMATION WHEN IT
COMES TO KNOW YOUR RIGHTS SO IT'S BEEN PRETTY WELL. IT'S ALSO THE ISSUE THAT YOU KNOW IF SOMEBODY IS IS HAS LEGITIMATE FEAR ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO
GO TO IT. NO, YOU'RE RIGHT TRAINING SO WE'VE JUST BEEN DROPPING FLIERS AND RED CARDS IN PLACES WITHOUT GOING UP TO PEOPLE AND SAY HERE, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NEED THIS.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE IN TERMS OF HOW TO REACH PEOPLE WHO NEED TO GET THE WORD AND NOT JUST YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FLIER SAYING COME TO THE
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH FOR YOU KNOW, JP FOR KNOW YOUR AGE TRAINING IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO YOU OR YOUR FAMILY YOU MIGHT NOT. SURE WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS FOR EVERYBODY WHO COMES TO A
WORKSHOP OR A MEETING FOR THEM TO TAKE A FEW MORE TO DISTRIBUTE TO THEIR FRIENDS OR NEIGHBORS WHOEVER THEY SEE SO LIKE I SAID BEFORE, PEOPLE WHO
DO COME TO MEETINGS OR COME TO A GATHERINGS THEY KNOW BUT IT'S ALL EVERYBODY ELSE OUT THERE THAT HAVEN'T COME DON'T KNOW. SO ONE WAY IS FOR THE PEOPLE
WHO ATTENDED TO OUTREACH TO OTHER PEOPLE. OKAY. AND DR. SHAYLA I JUST SO SO IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU SAID IN TERMS OF HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE TRUST
ACT AND LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS ONE, I'M I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT FUNDS FOR LEGAL RESOURCES AND MAKE SURE THOSE I MEAN IF MOYER'S CHANNELING
THOSE FUNDS THAT'S THAT'S GREAT BUT YOU KNOW WE JUST PASSED A RESOLUTION SUPPORTIVE STATE LAW WHICH IS LOOKING TO SET UP THOSE PROGRAMS STATEWIDE.
I THINK WE CAN ACT MUCH QUICKER THAN THE STATE CAN. SO I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THAT . I GUESS IF YOU HAD ANY COMMENT ABOUT THOSE PROGRAMS IN
ADDITION OR WHAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY, ANOTHER THING IS YOU MENTIONED EXTENDING THE TRUST ACT TO NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY UNDOCUMENTED.
I MEAN MY CONCERN IS TPS. IT'S LIKE PEOPLE ARE HERE LEGALLY AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THEM UNDOCUMENTED. BUT I CHANGING THE LAW WHICH IS JUST YOU KNOW, I SAID WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE HERE WHO HAVE STATUS YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA FOR THE ACT TO TRY TO COVER PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO, YOU KNOW, IS HERE UNDER A TPS, YOU KNOW, THEY AND THERE'S SOMETHING I DON'T FEEL THOSE TWO THINGS IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS. YEAH. AND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS IN VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE
THE REALITY OF BEING A EITHER A FOREIGN BORN PERSON OR THE CHILD OF A FOREIGN BORN PERSON IS THAT YOUR STATUS IS ALWAYS INSECURE THAT EVEN HAVING A
GREEN CARD DOESN'T ACTUALLY MAKE YOU A 100% SECURE AS A PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST LEARNED YESTERDAY IN NEW YORK CITY BUT BUT EVEN YOU KNOW IN A PERSON
WITH FAMILY CASE WHEN I WAS HELPING A FAMILY MEMBER WITH THEIR CITIZENSHIP PAPERWORK AND THIS WAS A PERSON WHO HAD BEEN IN THIS COUNTRY FOR 40 YEARS AND THEY WERE IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE A PROBLEM BUT THEY
HAD LOST THEIR GREEN CARD AND HAVE NOT HAVING POSSESSION OF YOUR GREEN CARD PUTS YOU IN A LOT OF INSECURITY SO EVERYBODY WHO IS THEMSELVES AN
IMMIGRANT OR THE CHILD OF AN IMMIGRANT IS IS POTENTIALLY AT RISK UNDER THE CURRENT LANGUAGE AND RHETORIC THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.
SO THIS IS WHY WE EMPHASIZE THE WHAT CAN WE DO AT THE CITY LEVEL SO THAT THE CITY IS STRENGTHENING PEOPLE'S RIGHTS AS THEY ARE AS THEY EXIST HERE IN THE CITY AND STRENGTHENING THE RIGHTS THAT THEY KNOW
ABOUT? MOYAL HAS BEEN AN EMAIL HAS ALWAYS BEEN HONESTLY AN AMAZING PARTNER AND I CAN TELL YOU AS A AS A RESEARCHER THE ONE A CITY
DEPARTMENT THAT WE ALWAYS HEAR PEOPLE TRUST IS MORE EVERYBODY TRUSTS MORE YOU. I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO HAS ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH MARIA WHO DOES NOT TRUST MOYA.
YOU DON'T HEAR HER? I DON'T HEAR ABOUT THIS WITH ANY OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT YOU HEAR YOU SEE VARIATION IN TRUST OF THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF THE PARKS OR APARTMENT. EVERYBODY TRUSTS MORE SO MORE
RESOURCES TO MOYA BECAUSE THEY ARE SO IN COLLABORATION AND WHEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IS ACTUALLY WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE BEST GUIDANCE ON HOW CAN THEY
SUPPORT US BECAUSE EXACTLY WHAT SUZANNE AND MICHAEL NOW THAT I HEAR FROM CENTRAL PRESENTA IS TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT WE DO AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL IS WE GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE TO BE SPREAD BY OTHERS WE DON'T KNOW.
SO WE HAVE THE MEETINGS, WE HAVE THE SESSIONS, WE HAVE THE CHA LESS BUT THEN WE TO USE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TERM DEPUTIZE
OUR COMMITTEE, OUR NEIGHBORS GO IN NOW TALK TO YOUR FAMILY. GO TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR. GO TALK TO YOUR CHURCH GROUP WHO IS GETTING TOGETHER EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THE CHURCH ANYMORE.
SO THAT'S THE WAY THAT YOU STRENGTHEN AND THE EMPOWERMENT THAT PEOPLE HAVE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL THAT IF IT'S MATCHED AT THE CITY LEVEL WITH A COMMITMENT AND A STAND ON THE
RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS AND OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE TARGETED, THEN WE ARE GOING TO BE STRONGER AND SAFER A CITY. OKAY, I JUST ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP.
SO YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I THINK FOR FOR ME ANYWAY WAS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE TRUST ACT BUT PEOPLE FOLLOWING THE TRUST ACT HAVE BEEN THREATENED WITH, YOU KNOW,
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION BY THE YOU KNOW, THE WHITE HOUSE AND AND I WAS WORRIED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR POLICE COMMISSIONER WHATEVER PEOPLE BEING COERCED INTO NOT FOLLOWING OUR RULES
BUT FOLLOWING YOU KNOW THIS AND SO I KNOW SOMERVILLE AND CHELSEA WAS THEY FILED A LAWSUIT IN FEDERAL COURT HERE TO OVERTURN THE POLICIES THAT THE FEDERAL POLICIES I KNOW
BOSTON HAS ENJOYED THAT. DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT LAWSUIT AND YOU KNOW OH, I'M HAPPY THAT WHAT WE CAN DO I'M HAPPY THERE IS A LAWSUIT. I ACTUALLY SAID TO A COLLEAGUE
OF MINE THIS MORNING THAT SO NUMBER ONE EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE NOT LAW. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP REINFORCING. EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE NOT LAW AND YET AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE TO CHALLENGE THOSE LAWS IN
COURT AND THE MINUTE WE STOP CHALLENGING THOSE LAWS IN COURT IS THE MINUTE THAT WE LOSE TO THOSE TO THOSE UNLAWFUL ACTIONS WITH GRACE THE CITY OF BOSTON WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT
LITIGATION BUT THAT I DON'T KNOW WHO MAKES THOSE DECISIONS HERE BUT I DO THINK AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRUST ACT IS STRENGTHENED MADE EXPLICIT THAT
PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES ARE EMPOWERED TO NOT COOPERATE WITH FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DO SOMETHING UNLAWFUL LIKE ARREST
A SCHOOL SECRETARY FOR REFUSING TO LET THEM IN THE SCHOOL RIGHT . WHAT WILL THE CITY OF BOSTON DO TO ENSURE THAT THAT PERSON IS SUPPORTED? WILL WE PROVIDE LEGAL SUPPORT
TO THEM WHILE THEY ARE DETAINED BY FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OR FEDERAL OFFICIALS? WHAT ARE WE TO DO TO MAKE OUR OWN CITY STAFF THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY INCLUDE OUR POLICE OFFICERS KNOW THAT WHEN THEY ENFORCE THE TRUST ACT THAT THE CITY HAS THEIR BACK AND SO I
THINK AS WE THINK ABOUT STRENGTHENING THE TRUST ACT, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN GO ABOUT DOING THAT BECAUSE TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE'S A
POSSIBILITY THAT THESE THINGS CAN GET TO CAN ESCALATE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE VERY CREATIVE IN THINKING THROUGH HOW IT CAN ESCALATE AND THEN WHAT THE CITY CAN DO IN
RESPONSE PARTICULARLY TO THAT PEOPLE FEEL LESS PRESSURE TO COMPLY, PARTICULARLY COMPLYING IN ADVANCE. OKAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR THANK YOU COUNCILOR WEBER FOR AS I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILOR BREADON BUT I DO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE
DR. FREDDIE POLANCO WALTERS WITH US VIRTUALLY WHO IS A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF OUR SECOND PANEL. BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EVERYONE BE PART OF THIS
DISCUSSION. SO I JUST WANT TO WELCOME DR. FREDDIE POLANCO. WALTERS IF YOU'RE WITH US ON VIRTUALLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US HERE TODAY. I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. COUNCILOR BREADON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS TO ANY OF OUR PANELISTS HERE WE
HAVE THANK YOU. I'M A PHYSICAL THERAPIST, A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL. BEFORE I WAS DISCHARGED HAD THIS JOB AND IS VERY TIMELY. DR. POLANCO WALTERS, I HAD A
QUESTION JUST ABOUT ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE. I KNOW WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT SCHOOLS AND THE INTERSECTION WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE CITY. OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, ETC.
I, I ATTEND A COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER A LOT. I KNOW MANY OF US DO A LOT OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY ATTEND THAT'S WHERE THEY GET THEIR HEALTH CARE AND THERE'S I
DID HEAR FROM MY HEALTH CENTER THAT A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS ARE AFRAID TO GO FOR HEALTH CARE AND THAT THERE AND I THINK THERE ARE MY PARTICULAR HEALTH
CENTERS TRYING TO EXPAND THEIR ABILITY TO DO TELE TELEHEALTH. BUT I DO THINK IT'S REALLY ESPECIALLY IN THIS MOMENT IN TIME WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT
MEASLES EPIDEMIC AND POTENTIALLY BIRD FLU AND ALL SORTS OF EPIDEMIC DISEASES, INFECTIOUS DISEASES COMING OUR
WAY THAT WE HAVE FOLKS IN OUR WHO ARE AFRAID TO GO TO SEE A DOCTOR OR TO SEEK HEALTH CARE SO I'D LOVE TO BE HERE. AND DR. POLANCO WATERS OPINION
OR ANY THOUGHTS ON THE ISSUE? YEAH, OF COURSE, COUNSELOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CAN YOU HEAR ME IT CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY, GREAT.
FIRST I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU SO MUCH THE MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE FOR INVITING ME TO
THIS HEARING LIKE YOU MENTIONED, MY NAME IS DR. PLANK. I'M A PEDIATRICIAN SPECIALIZING IN ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT MEDICINE AS WELL AS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF A CLINIC SERVING FAMILIES HERE IN BOSTON, A
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER AS WELL AND I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY NOT ONLY AS A PHYSICIAN BUT ALSO AS A PROUD IMMIGRANT FROM DOMINICAN REPUBLIC WHO CAME TO THIS GREAT CITY ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO. I WAS RAISED IN A REALLY
HARDWORKING FAMILY THAT INSTILLED IN ME THE VALUES OF PERSEVERANCE, EDUCATION AND SERVICE. AND I AM A PRODUCT BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TODAY I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF GIVING BACK TO THE VERY COMMUNITY THAT SHAPED
ME. AND YES, I AM AGREEMENT BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING ME AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE SEEING THE SAME THINGS YOU MENTIONED WHICH IS PEOPLE FAMILIES ARE NOT COMING TO SEEK THE CARE THAT THEY ARE
THEY NEED AND SOMETIMES THEY URGENTLY NEED BECAUSE OF FEAR AND IT'S A DEVASTATING IMPACT THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO HAVE BECAUSE THE HEALTH AND THE
COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THIS PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THE FEAR IS PREVENTING THEM FROM BEING IN A SICK CHILD IS PREVENTING PREGNANT WOMEN FROM SEEKING
PRENATAL CARE AND IT'S A FEAR THAT'S FORCING MANY INDIVIDUALS TO DELAY TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC CONDITIONS LIKE HYPERTENSION AND DIABETES UNTIL THEY REACH A CRISIS POINT AND THEN THE FEAR
IS NOT THEORETICAL. I'M SO GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER IS DOING THAT AS WELL BECAUSE IT IS REAL AND IT IS HARMING OUR COMMUNITY. AS YOU KNOW, BOSTON IS KNOWN FOR THE WORLD CLASS HEALTH CARE
INSTITUTION BUT WHAT GOOD ARE THE BEST DOCTORS, THE MOST ADVANCED TREATMENTS OR THE MOST CUTTING EDGE MEDICAL RESEARCH AND PEOPLE WHO NEED THE CURE TOO AFRAID TO WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS?
I CARE FOR CHILDREN WHOSE FAMILIES ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH BARRIERS TO HEALTH CARE. SO WE TALK ABOUT COST, LANGUAGE, TRANSPORTATION RIGHT ? BUT NOW THE GREATEST AND MOST DAMAGING BARRIER IS THE FEAR
AND FEAR THE STEPPING INTO A CLINIC OR HOSPITAL COULD PUT THEM OR THEIR LOVED ONES AT RISK OF DETENTION AND DEPORTATION. AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND IN MY CLINIC WE HAVE
HAD FAMILIES LOWER THEIR VOICES TO WHISPER AND ASK DOCTOR WILL I BE SAFE HERE? AND I HAVE SEEN FAMILIES RATIONED HEALTH CARE CHOOSING TO FORGO CARE UNTIL THEIR CHILD
IS DANGEROUSLY ILL BECAUSE THEY'RE TERRIFIED OF WHAT MAY HAPPEN IF THEY STOP AND IF THEY STEP INTO A HOSPITAL. OUR CLINICS IT'S ALL MY PATIENTS HAVE BEEN CARRYING LEGAL DOCUMENTATION ON THEM ALL
THE TIME FEAR THAT THEY MAY NEED TO PROVE THEIR RIGHT TO EXIST AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. AND YOU AND I BOTH KNOW HOW COSTLY AND COMPLICATED IT CAN'T BE TO REPLACE LOST DOCUMENTS IF
THEY WERE TO LOSE THOSE DOCUMENTS. SO THIS CLIMATE FEAR DOESN'T JUST HARM INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS IT WEAKENS THE HEALTH OF OUR ENTIRE CITY BECAUSE THE LINK TREATMENT LEADS TO MORE SEVERE
ILLNESS, HIGHER HEALTH CARE COSTS A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU LET SOMETHING THAT'S VERY ACUTE GO INTO A CHRONIC OR GET WORSE HE ENDS UP BEING RECEIVING HEALTH CARE IN THE EMERGENCY
ROOM WHICH AS MANY OF YOU KNOW IS SIGNIFICANTLY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN COMING TO A CLINIC AND ALSO PREVENTABLE EMERGENCIES. SO WHEN INFECTIOUS DISEASES GO UNTREATED SOMEONE MENTIONED THE
MEASLES EPIDEMIC THAT'S GOING ON IN TEXAS. THEY DON'T STOP THE, YOU KNOW, IMMIGRATION STATUS. THEY SPREAD EVERYWHERE. AGAIN, MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING SINCE THE PANDEMIC
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC EVEN. BUT AS YOU KNOW, SINCE THE PANDEMIC I'VE BEEN SUFFERING MANY, MANY OF OUR PATIENTS AND FAMILY AND STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WHEN THEY'RE IGNORED DUE TO FEAR,
THE CONSEQUENCES RIPPLE THROUGH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. IN THE END, PUBLIC HEALTH DEPENDS ON TRUST AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO SEEK CARE THAT TRUST IS BROKEN SO POLICIES LIKE THE TRUST ACT
WHEN EXPANDED TO DIFFERENT AREAS NOT ONLY THEIR POLICE AND POLICE ENFORCEMENT CAN HELP REBUILD OR BUILD THAT TRUST BUT THEY MAKE IT CLEAR THAT HEALTH CARE FACILITIES ARE PLACES
OF HEALING NOT ENFORCEMENT THAT ONCE YOU HAVE WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR SAFETY AND THAT IN BOSTON WE VALUE THE DIGNITY AND WELL-BEING OF EVERY PERSON REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY WERE
BORN. SO AS A PHYSICIAN MY OATH IS TO HEAL, PROTECT AND TO CARE FOR MY PATIENTS. BUT I CANNOT DO IT IF THEY'RE TOO AFRAID TO COME TO ME THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE SAFE
JUST AND HUMANE SYSTEM DOES NOT SOLELY RELY ON DOCTORS AND NURSES. HE ALSO RELIES ON THE HANDS OF YOU POLICYMAKERS. SO I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE
TRUST ACT EXPAND IT TO PLACES LIKE HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS IN THE CITY AND TO ENSURE THAT BOSTON REMAINS A CITY WHERE EVERY PERSON REGARDLESS REGARDLESS OF THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS CAN SEEK MEDICAL CARE WITHOUT FEAR.
THIS IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF POLICY IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, SAFETY AND JUSTICE. I HOPE I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
THANK YOU. AND I ALSO YOU KNOW, WE THE UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING TO SUPPORT A FAMILY RECENTLY THE FATHER AND TWO
KIDS IN OUR SCHOOLS THEIR DAD WAS WAS A DETAINED BY ICE IN CHELSEA EVEN THOUGH HE LIVES HE LIVES IN BRIGHTON I LIVED IN
BRIGHTON AND THE KIDS SO I DID HEAR FROM BE FROM FOLKS CLOSE TO THE FAMILY THAT DID A GOOD JOB IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING THE IT WAS VERY SENSITIVELY HANDLED
AND THE GIRLS WERE SUPPORTED VERY WELL. BUT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO NOT THERE ARE NO SORT OF UNACCOMPANIED MINORS BECAUSE
WE DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FATHER WAS TAKEN OUT OF STATE SO WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WHERE HE WAS UP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S HAD AS A HAD A HEARING BUT I THINK THAT
WHOLE CAN YOU IMAGINE THE STRESS OF THAT ON A YOUNG YOUNG PERSON IF THEIR PARENT IS IS IS TAKEN AWAY. SO I THINK THIS HUGE MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS AS A DOCTOR JUST
MENTIONED IN AND HOW OF FAMILIES ARE SEPARATED LIKE THIS AND I DO THINK WE NEED TO KNOW A LOT MORE I THOUGHT WE
HAD PUT THIS BEHIND US BUT FROM THE LAST RODEO THAT WE WERE IN BUT I FEEL THAT THE AGGRESSIVE NATURE OF THIS AND JUST THE THE
WIDESPREAD PROFILING OF PEOPLE THEY IF THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE AN IMMIGRANT, THEY ARE IMMIGRANTS. BUT THEY LOOK JUST BY LOOKING LIKE YOU COME FROM ANOTHER PLACE PEOPLE ARE BEING ACCOSTED
AND DETAINED AND QUESTIONED. THERE'S AN INCIDENT AND IN WHAT WAS IT THE GERMAN LARGEST WOMAN WHO IS IN DETENTION IN A
PRIVATE SECURITY DETENTION CENTER IN I THINK CALIFORNIA, COLORADO OR SOMEWHERE SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR 25 DAYS. NO, NO, NO REPRESENTATION, NO
DUE PROCESS AND SHE'S A FOREIGN NATIONAL WITH A LEGAL VISA AND PASSPORT AND ALL THE REST OF IT. THERE'S THIS SORT OF A LAWLESSNESS ELEMENT TO THIS
THAT IS VERY, VERY CONCERNING THAT IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME, YOU'RE YOU'RE IN DEEP TROUBLE. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS THIS AFTERNOON.
I'M SORRY I WAS LATE AND RISING. I HAD OTHER THINGS TO DO BUT APPRECIATE AND I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT MY IS A TRUSTED DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY
. WE ADVOCATE STRONGLY FOR HELP WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES WHICH IS PART OF THEIR REMIT. BUT I THINK THE LEGAL SUPPORT IS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT PART
OF WHAT MOYA DOES AND YOU KNOW IT'S BUDGET SEASON SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET MORE RESOURCES IN THIS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TIME TO SEE WHAT THEY
CAN DO TO HELP. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR AND I'M NOW GOING TO DO A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONING.
Q RIGHT NOW SHE'S SHE'S DONE FOR ANYONE WHO DOES HAVE A CONSULTATION. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER UM IT'S NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION. YEAH.
I HAD I THINK SUMMARY OF THE FLOOR. YEAH. THANK YOU AND I LOVE THAT COUNCILOR BREADON TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET RIGHT BECAUSE THE
BUDGET IS OUR VALUE STATEMENT AND ESPECIALLY IN THIS MOMENT IF THE FAIRY GODMOTHER CAME DOWN HERE WITH A LITTLE MAGIC WAND. RIGHT. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW
UTILIZE OUR POLITICAL CAPITAL TO REALLY STAND UP FOR IMMIGRANTS. RIGHT. AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THE IDEA THAT IMMIGRATION IS A FEDERAL
ISSUE, WE ARE BOSTON AND OUR RESIDENTS DESPITE WHATEVER STATUS THEY HAPPEN TO BE IN, WE SERVE THEM. AND IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TO OR THE COMMUNITY HEALTH
CENTERS ARE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SCHOOLS THEN WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM DESPITE THEIR STATUS AND SO WHILE I APPRECIATE THE WHOLE IDEA OF SEPARATING FEDERAL, YOU
KNOW, POLITICS FROM LOCAL POLITICS, ALL THOSE THINGS INTO ACT WITH HOW OUR RESIDENTS FEEL RIGHT. AND SO WITH THAT WITHIN THAT
CONTEXT AND YOU KNOW DR. WALTERS, I'M GLAD THAT YOU ARE HERE AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE RACIAL EQUITY LENS AROUND HEALTH ACCESS PARTICULARLY IN THIS MOMENT. AND I KNOW THAT CENTRAL PRESENT
THEY DID A LOT OF WORK AROUND WHEN YOU KNOW, WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND ACCESS TO QUALITY CARE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WERE AFRAID OR THEY WEREN'T
BEING TREATED CORRECTLY ALL OF THOSE THINGS EXIST SIMULTANEOUSLY. AND SO I AM CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT AREAS BECAUSE WE I HEARD
ISSUES AROUND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION. BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS FROM LIKE
THE BUDGET SEASON WITH MOYA IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ENFORCE THEM AND LIKE PROVIDING MORE DOLLARS FOR LEGAL SERVICES BUT WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE BE THINKING
ABOUT THAT WILL HELP NOT ONLY TO STRENGTHEN THE ACT BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO BE A WHOLE SEPARATE CONVERSATION BUT LIKE JUST HELP SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED RIGHT NOW
NAVIGATING CITY SERVICES. MM THERE'S ONE AREA THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO REALLY INVEST SOME MONEY ON WHICH IS IN CYBERSECURITY AND THE SECURITY OF YOUR DATA
SYSTEMS. THESE ARE I MEAN I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE ARE DOING ME AND MY PARTNERS ACROSS NOT JUST IN THE IMMIGRATION ADVOCACY WORLD BUT
IN THE CLIMATE ADVOCACY WORLD IN THE IN THE RIGHTS WORLD GENERALLY WE ARE WHAT DO GOOGLING OURSELVES. WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THE BEST AND MORE
EMAIL AND MESSAGING SYSTEMS, HOW WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE AS MANY. WE ARE MOVING FOR EXAMPLE SENSITIVE CONVERSATIONS OFF OF WHATSAPP AND SO TAKING SERIOUS EARLY CYBERSECURITY
WITH YOUR SYSTEMS AND WITH YOUR INFORMATION SYSTEMS I THINK IS ONE AREA THAT COULD DEFINITELY USE A LOT MORE ATTENTION AND YOU KNOW WE DO WE DO HAVE
CYBERSECURITY LAWS HERE AGAIN, I WOULD WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT INVESTMENT IN STRENGTHENING THE ABILITY OF THE CITY OF BOSTON
TO FOCUS ON THE CITY OF BOSTON RIGHT. JUST REMEMBER THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO HAVE OUR OWN LAWS THAT THAT MAKE EXPLICIT WHAT PEOPLE'S RIGHTS ARE AND THAT'S ALSO GOING TO TAKE TIME AND
MONEY TO FIGURE OUT ALSO. SO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WHAT WE THINK WE USED TO RELY ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR AND THERE MAY NEED TO BE SOME YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY MORE COLLABORATION AT THE STATE LEVEL AS WELL.
BUT WHAT CAN WE DO HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE TO RELY ON FEDERAL LAW TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY TAXES ANYMORE?
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER THING. WATCH THAT GO VIRAL. DR. POLANCO, I'M JUST CURIOUS,
YOU KNOW, IN YOUR NEW ROLE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE THAT YOU JUST ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE IN THIS MOMENT. HOW CAN THE CITY OF BOSTON BE A
BETTER PARTNER IN SUPPORTING OUR UNDOCUMENTED LOVED ONES ONES? I THINK ONE AREA WILL BE EDUCATION. AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT
OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITIES AND WHICH IS LEADING TO THE FEAR THAT I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER. I THINK MAKING SURE THAT COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND EITHER THROUGH THE BOSTON
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION OR OUR YOUR OFFICE DISTRICT THAT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS ARE GETTING TRAININGS ON HOW TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR FEAR, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS AND MAKING SURE
THAT WHENEVER WE MAKE A PROMISE TO A COMMUNITY THAT WE YOU KNOW, WE FOLLOW THROUGH THAT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE GIVEN BECAUSE THEY NEED TO FIND TRUSTWORTHY SOURCES. SO AS LONG AS WE ARE GIVING
INFORMATION DISSEMINATING THAT INFORMATION THROUGH DIFFERENT CENTERS, DISSEMINATING INFORMATION THROUGH ONLINE DIFFERENT AVENUES THAT IMPACT THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, I
THINK THAT'S ONE AND THE OTHER THING IS MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, HEALTH IS BASICALLY DEPENDENT ON ABOUT
60% SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND 20% THE CARE THAT WE PROVIDE. RIGHT. SO THIS WEEK IN MY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER WE SHOULD HAVE FRESH STRAW COVERING FRUITS. IT WAS NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE THAT CAME TO GET THE SERVICES
AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PATIENTS THAT ARE FOOD INSECURE SO USING RESOURCES THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT AFFECT PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND GOING TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO ALSO DISSEMINATE THIS INFORMATION.
OBVIOUSLY THERE CAN BE PROMISES IF THERE A TRUCK IS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND SOMEONE COMES TO THE WARREN THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT FOR SOMEONE WHO COMMITTED A CRIME. BUT THE PATIENTS DEPEND ON
HOUSING, YOU KNOW, HELP HELP WITH FOOD, HELP WITH JUST SO MANY THINGS JUST TODAY THERE'S A FAMILY THAT CAME THAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO LOSE THE ENERGY AND ASKING FOR OUR SUPPORT FOR
A LETTER FROM US. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THEY CAN DEVELOP BUT I STARTING WITH DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION, ACCURATE INFORMATION THAT THAT THAT PATIENTS CAN TRUST AND
COMMUNICATING WITH THE HEALTH CENTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE UP TO DATE WITH TRAININGS THIS INFORMATION IS CHANGING, YOU KNOW ALL THE TIME I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ARE AWARE BUT THERE IS NOW OUR PATIENTS
BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE THE UNITED STATES AND THEN YOU COME BACK AT PASSPORT CONTROL OR WHEN YOU ARE REENTERING THE U.S.,
THERE'S A FORM THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE BEING ASKED TO FILL OUT AND WHEN THEY COMPLETE THAT FORM APPARENTLY THEY ARE REVOKING A GREEN CARD, THEIR GREEN CARD HOLDERS. SO KIND OF LIKE HOW ARE WE GOING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE THAT IF
YOU COME THROUGH YOU CAN BE SIGNING ANYTHING AND YOU HAVE TO BE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SIGNING IN AND ASK YOU FOR TIME TO GET A LAWYER TO TALK TO A LAWYER BEFORE YOU SIGN ANYTHING. SO THINGS LIKE THAT AS YOU KNOW
YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE OUR PATIENTS WITH ALL THAT INFORMATION BUT WE DON'T HAVE TIME AND WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE. SO WE HAVE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE TRAINING AND OBVIOUSLY THOSE PROVIDERS THAT WANT TO GET THE TRAINING AS WELL.
SO PROVIDING TRAINING, PROVIDING EDUCATION UP TO DATE EDUCATION WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO IS IS
THAT YOU ABOUT THE BECAUSE I SAW IT ON TO TALK TO ABOUT THE PASSPORT SITUATION AND YOU KNOW HOW THERE'S SO MANY LIKE OH I SAW THAT BUT I WASN'T SURE IF THAT IS SO THAT IS TRUE THAT
THEY ARE DOING THAT THEY'RE MAKING YOU SIGN SOMETHING AND THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR GREEN CARD REVOKED.
I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO SO TWO THINGS WHEN WE HEAR THESE KINDS OF STORIES DIRECT FROM PEOPLE AS I'M HEARING DR. POLANCO IS MENTIONING RIGHT NOW THAT YOU I'M ASSUMING WE'VE HEARD THAT DIRECTLY FROM A PATIENT THAT
EXPERIENCED IT THEN WE HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S HAPPENING. AND I THINK WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT IS ACTUALLY NOW TWO GERMAN TOURISTS AND A BRITISH
TOURISTS WHO HAVE BEEN DETAINED AT BORDER CROSSING THIS LAND BORDER CROSSINGS. THE IDEA OF THE RANDOM LAWLESSNESS OF IT IS ACTUALLY
WHAT THAT SHOULD RAISE FOR US AND SO I HAS I HESITATE TO ANSWER BECAUSE IT'S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR THAT THIS IS A THING THAT IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING ALL THE TIME IN EVERY
PASSPORT CONTROL POLICE AND EVERY AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY ARE LAND BORDER CROSSING IN THE COUNTRY IN THE COUNTRY. BUT THAT THAT IT IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FROM SOMEBODY THAT WE HEARD
DIRECTLY FROM. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TO GIVE CREDENCE TO I THINK THE DANGER THAT WE I KNOW HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH IS THAT SOMETIMES WE HEAR STORIES.
AND THEY ESSENTIALLY ARE VARIOUS FORMS OF DEEPFAKES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT OUT THERE BY ACTORS WHO ARE ONLY THERE TO CAUSE FEAR FOR US IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I BELIEVE YOU KNOW NOT TO CANONICAL BUT I ALSO WOULD HOLD LIGHTLY UNTIL WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SOME OF THIS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING TO PEOPLE
BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE HEARING AND LIKE WHEN WE HEAR THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE UNCLEAR ABOUT SOME FOLKS ARE NOT FEELING SAFE TO
GO EVEN TO GET HEALTH CARE BECAUSE THEY WORRY THAT ONCE UPON A TIME THEY WERE ABLE TO GET FREE COVID TESTING AND GET FREE HEALTH INSURE YOU KNOW,
GET THEIR MET, THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS MET DESPITE THEIR STATUS. BUT NOW SOME FOLKS ARE BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN CIRCULATING THEY ARE AFRAID THAT EVEN GOING TO REPORT OR GO
TO GET CARE IS GOING TO COMPROMISE THEIR THEIR CARE. ONE OF THE THINGS IN THIS KIND OF GETS TO THE QUESTION THAT COUNCILOR WEBER WAS ASKING EARLIER IT IT HELPS.
IT WOULD HELP ME AT LEAST IN MY COMMUNITY IF AS SUZANNE MENTIONED EARLIER I WOULD LOVE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON TO HAVE
SOME SIGNS UP THAT THEY GIVE TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS THAT SAY THIS IS A SAFE PLACE AND HERE'S WHAT THE LAWS ARE IN BOSTON AND HERE'S WHAT THE LAWS ARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO YOU KNOW THAT YOU
HAVE RIGHTS TO IN BOSTON AND THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BE SAFE AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE DID COME UP WITH SOME GUIDANCE FOR HEALTH CENTERS IN PARTICULAR AROUND HOW THEY CAN MANAGE THEIR
SIGNAGE SO THAT THAT YOU CAN MARK SPACES AS PRIVATE OR NOT PRIVATE WHICH ALSO PREVENTS EITHER ICE AGENTS THEMSELVES OR ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT IS ACTUALLY BEING SEEN ACROSS THE
COUNTRY PEOPLE IMPERSONATING ICE AGENTS FROM COMING INTO YOUR SPACES AND HARASSING, YOU KNOW, YOUR CUSTOMERS OR YOUR YOUR PATIENTS OR YOUR STUDENTS
OR PEOPLE THAT COME INTO OUR OFFICES. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY HELPING US PROVIDING US WITH THE RESOURCES ESPECIALLY AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL THAT YOU KNOW, DON'T WAIT
FOR THE HEALTH CENTER TO FIND IT'S GREAT SCRAMBLE MONEY OUT OF THEM OUT OF A VERY, VERY TIGHT BUDGET AS IT IS PROVIDE US WITH THOSE THOSE POSTERS THAT WE CAN POST RIGHT AWAY. RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN THE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CARDS ARE SO INVALUABLE. THE RED CARDS AND THE ACLU CARDS ARE SO INVALUABLE. SO PROVIDE US WITH THOSE THINGS SO THAT WE CAN GET THE WORDS
OUT AND SO THAT SO THAT SLOWLY WE CAN START COMBATING A LOT OF THE THE MISINFORMATION AND MAKING PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING TO MAKE US
AFRAID AND THAT WE HAVE TO REINFORCE THIS IDEA THAT PART OF OUR STRENGTH IS BEING NOT REFUSING TO BE AFRAID. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH.
I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO YOUR QUESTION ON CANCER, JULIA AND THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IMMIGRATION IS ISN'T JUST A FEDERAL ISSUE BUT ALSO GOES
DOWN TO CITY COUNCIL AND I THINK THAT A WAY YOU GUYS COULD HELP THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AT THE MOMENT IS TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING OF MAKING SURE THAT RECENTLY
ARRIVED IMMIGRANTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE STILL RECEIVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ARE STILL RECEIVING THE HELP TO FIND JOBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND I ALSO WANTED TO RAISE
ANOTHER POINT IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING TO CENTRO PRESENTED WITH ANOTHER CONCERN WHICH IS I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE BILL IS CALLED BUT IT BASICALLY STATES THAT UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO REGISTER ON SOME SORT OF DATABASE. I DON'T HAVE MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THAT BUT IT'S ANOTHER CONCERN AND I KNOW IT IS LIKE SOMETHING IN THE FEDERAL BRANCH
AND IT'S REAL AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER PART AND THAT YEAH, WE ACTUALLY AND I WILL GET I'LL GET IT TO YOU BEFORE THE END OF THIS BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS BUILDING. THIS IS WE GOT HIT WITH THAT
THE DAY THAT IT CAME OUT AND HAVE A WASHINGTON ON THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. AND SO THE REALITY IS THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE RIGHT NOW. PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE YOU CAN'T PUT TOGETHER THESE DATABASES JUST LIKE THAT.
IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. AND SO NOBODY HAS TO DO ANYTHING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE ANYONE WHO HAS ANY KIND OF INTERACTIONS WITH HOMELAND SECURITY HAS ALREADY HAS THE
CIA'S ACCOUNT ANYWAYS. AND BECAUSE ANY TYPE AND ANY ATTEMPT TO ENFORCE IT IS GOING TO BE MET WITH LITIGATION. WE'RE JUST ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO JUST WAIT BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING.
WE DO HAVE SOME FLIERS THAT IN SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN PASS OUT THROUGH WHATSAPP SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THAT AS WELL. BUT THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TO SCRAMBLE WITH THE COMMUNITY LEVEL TO PUT TOGETHER
OURSELVES AND ANY KIND OF SUPPORTS THAT WE COULD GET FROM THE CITY TO HELP US IN THOSE IN THAT KIND OF RAPID RESPONSE TO MISINFORMATION OR HELPING PEOPLE HELPING DIAL
BACK THE FEAR THAT ACTUALLY WOULD BE IMMENSELY HELPFUL. AND I KNOW DR. POLANCO MAY NEED TO LEAVE SOON. SO IF YOU WANT TO JUST SAY
GOODBYE YOU SHOULD NOW. WELL, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU. SO I HAVE TO GO I HAVE TO GET MY KIDS IN SCHOOL. BUT AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP BRINGING THIS UP TO THE FOREFRONT RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE SEEN HOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, HURTING OUR COMMUNITIES. OBVIOUSLY HEALTH CARE IS MY FIELD BUT LIKE EVEN JUST GOING TO THE HAIR SALON ON SATURDAY, MY HAIRDRESSER ASKING ME WAIT A SECOND, OUT OF ALL MY CLIENTS
LIKE UNDOCUMENTED BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING AND THAT BUSINESSES ARE SUFFERING AND THAT HAS IMPACT BECAUSE LIKE SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER, IF YOU NOT ME NOT WORKING YOU CANNOT BUY THINGS.
YOU CANNOT PAY YOUR RENT, YOU CANNOT PAY YOUR BILLS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING INTO THIS AND THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. THANK YOU. AND I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD
PEOPLE HOSTAGE ON. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. WELL, UNCLE, I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE. WE WANT PEOPLE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
THINK OF HOW WE HAVE LEAH HASTINGS IN PERSON. YEAH. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU GIVE YOU PUBLIC TESTIMONY IF YOU CAN COME DOWN.
YOU SAID YOUR NAME AND YOUR ORGANIZATION NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU HAVE YOUR TIME TO GIVE YOU PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. OF COURSE THIS IS ON YOU. OKAY, BEAUTIFUL.
AND THANK YOU FOR STAYING AS LONG AS YOU HAVE. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LENGTHY HEARING. SO MY NAME IS LEAH HASTINGS. I'M AN ATTORNEY. I WORK AT PRISONERS LEGAL SERVICES.
I RUN THE IMMIGRANT DETENTION CONDITIONS PROJECT THERE AND SO IN LARGE PART MY WORK FOCUSES ON ADVOCATING FOR THE RIGHTS AND THE MATERIAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN ICE DETENTION IN
MASSACHUSETTS WHO ARE DETAINED AT PLYMOUTH COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WHICH HAS THE SOLE REMAINING ICE CONTRACT FOR DETENTION IN MASSACHUSETTS.
SO IT'S NO ACCIDENT THAT ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE CONSEQUENCES OF THE POLICIES THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY. DETENTION IS ALSO ONE OF THE
MOST OBSCURED FROM PUBLIC VIEW WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLICIES THAT PUT PEOPLE IN CAGES. WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO I'M HERE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT ON THE CONDITIONS OF ICE DETENTION HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS. AND THEN TO CONNECT THAT BACK TO BROADER TRENDS IN
ENFORCEMENT AND DETENTION AND LOCAL POLICIES. AND SO I'M HERE PRIMARILY TO JUST STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE
TRUST ACT IF WE HOPE TO MOUNT EVEN A FRACTION OF THE RESISTANCE THAT HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO BOSTON. TO TALK ABOUT PLYMOUTH A LITTLE
BIT IN 2022 A DHS INTERNAL OVERSIGHT OFFICE CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION OF PLYMOUTH DURING WHICH IT CITED OVER 70 INSTANCES OF NONCOMPLIANCE WITH
DETENTION STANDARDS. THE ENSUING REPORT DISCLOSED VIOLATIONS RELATED TO LEGAL ACCESS, LANGUAGE ACCESS, TELEPHONE AND MAIL ACCESS,
MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE, CLOTHING, DIET AND HYGIENE. MUCH OF THE CONTENTS OF THAT REPORT REMAIN REDACTED. SINCE I STARTED UP THIS IN FALL
2023 I HAVE HEARD MANY OF THESE SAME ISSUES ECHOED BY THE DETAINED PEOPLE THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH DISABLED AND LGBTQ CLIENTS PUNISHED WITH SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR VOICING THEIR
NEEDS, CLIENTS TRANSFERRED OUT OF STATE AND RETALIATION FOR MEDICAL SELF-ADVOCACY CLIENTS WHO HAVE RESORTED TO TYING SHIRTS AROUND THEIR HEADS AND BLOCKING AIR VENTS WITH TOWELS
TO FEND OFF THE COLD. CLIENTS WHO RELY ON ONE ANOTHER FOR INTERPRETATION. CLIENTS WOKEN UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND TOLD TO PACK THEIR THINGS. CLIENTS DENIED SWEATSHIRTS,
DENIED NAIL CLIPPERS, DENIED LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HUG THEIR LOVED ONES GOODBYE DURING THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME. THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF ICE
BEDS AT PLYMOUTH AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DETAINED THERE. PLYMOUTH MOST RECENT CONTRACT RENEGOTIATION MORE THAN DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY RECEIVED FROM ICE PER PERSON PER DAY.
ICE HAS STEADILY INCREASED ITS DETENTION CAPACITY ON A REGIONAL LEVEL AS WELL, EXPANDING ITS USE OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY JAIL IN PORTLAND, MAINE AND MOST RECENTLY PREPARING TO
DETAIN UPWARDS OF 500 IMMIGRANTS AT FCI BERLIN, A FEDERAL PRISON IN NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WHEN WE DISCUSS LOCAL POLICIES AROUND COLLABORATION WITH ICE,
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SENDING PEOPLE INTO A SYSTEM THAT SYSTEMATICALLY DENIES THEIR RIGHTS, THEIR DIGNITY, THEIR HUMANITY AND THEIR EXISTENCE AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A SYSTEM THAT ASSIGNS A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO KEEPING A PERSON IN A CAGE. THE TRUST ACT AS IT EXISTS NOW DOES NOT DO ENOUGH TO CONFRONT
THIS REALITY AND IT'S DECEMBER 2020 FOR REAFFIRMATION OF THE TRUST ACT. THE CITY COUNCIL ASSURED US THAT ICE HOMELAND SECURITY INITIATIVES HCI HAS NO PART IN
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. ON JANUARY 20TH, 2025, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDER 14159 IN WHICH HE ORDERED DHS TO ENSURE THAT
THE PRIMARY MISSION OF THE SITE IS THE ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS RELATED TO ILLEGAL ENTRY AND UNLAWFUL PRESENCE OF UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS NEW MANDATE HAS REMOVED
ANY DOUBT THAT CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH ANY ARM OF ICE INCLUDING HSA WILL DIRECTLY LEAD TO THE DETENTION AND DEPORTATION OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IN PARALLEL WITH ICE'S EXPANSION OF DETENTION INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE REGION, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN STEADILY EXPANDING THE CRIMINALIZATION OF IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE GUISE OF SECURITY ALL
WHILE CUTTING FUNDING FOR HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL SERVICES AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE LAKE AND RILEY ACT, UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE NOW FACE MANDATORY AND
INDEFINITE DETENTION WITHOUT BOND FOR PRECISELY THE KINDS OF CHARGES ABOUT WHICH MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE REPEATEDLY ENGAGED IN COMMUNICATION WITH ICE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE US
DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S DESIGNATION OF MULTIPLE GANGS AS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS HAS MERGED AND EXPANDED TO LABELS THAT HAVE LONG BEEN USED IN WEAPONIZE TO
JUSTIFY TARGETING, SURVEILLING AND DISAPPEARING LATINO, BLACK ARAB AND MUSLIM COMMUNITY MEMBERS. OUR CITY'S YOUTH ARE AT PARTICULAR RISK OF BEING PROFILED AS GANG MEMBERS BASED
ON OBSERVATIONS OF LITTLE TO NO SUBSTANCE. AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING ATTACHED TO A PASSING CONVERSATION DESPITE THE NEAR NON-EXISTENT STANDARD OF PROOF IT IS A LABEL
THAT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE ONCE APPLIED INVOCATIONS OF BOSTON'S HISTORICAL AND SYMBOLIC RESISTANCE ARE NOT ENOUGH SO LONG AS BOSTON
CONTINUES TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH ANY ARM OF ICE OR TO FUND RACIST, OPAQUE AND UNRELIABLE FUSION CENTERS LIKE THE BRICK. THERE IS NO VERSION OF THE TRUST ACT THAT WILL ADEQUATELY
PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. WE MUST TAKE CONCRETE ACTION TO CUT TIES WITH PROGRAMS AND AGENCIES THAT HAVE TIME AND AGAIN PROVEN THEMSELVES UNWORTHY OF OUR TRUST IN OUR RESOURCES.
FOR THIS REASON I AM ASKING THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE TRUST ACT AND TO PUT AN END TO THE CITY OF BOSTON'S COLLABORATION WITH ALL OF AGENCIES OF ICE AS WELL
AS THE BRICK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING WITH US TODAY. WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE ON ZOOM WHO WANT TO TESTIFY.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE STILL HERE BUT IF YOU ARE I HAVE HENRY ALVARO AND THEN JUST WHEN
I CALL ON HONOR CODE ON HELLO? YES, I'M HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. ALSO WAS PLEASE STAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO GEORGIANNA FIRST AND THEN I'M GOING TO GO WITH HENRY. OKAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU. LET'S SEE ALL OF YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN 2 MINUTES. GREAT.
THANK YOU. SORRY. MY NAME IS JOSE HANNA COLON. I AM A FIRST GENERATION DOMINICAN-AMERICAN. I AM A CURRENT THIRD YEAR NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY AND I GREW UP IN DORCHESTER IN A
COMMUNITY SO DIVERSE I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT WHETHER THE DOMINICAN DIAZ AT THE SALON WAS DOCUMENTED OR NOT BECAUSE WE WERE IN COMMUNITY TOGETHER. I NEVER REALLY QUESTIONED ABOUT A MAN STATUS BECAUSE HE WAS PART OF OUR EVERYDAY LIVES AND
I NEVER REALLY QUESTIONED THE STATUS OF THOSE WHO STOOD BESIDE ME AT RALLIES FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO BE SEEN, TO BE VALUED AND TO SIMPLY SURVIVE. TODAY I AM HERE AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, ACTIVIST AND A STUDENT
LEADER. AND IF I'M BEING VERY HONEST I'M VERY ANGRY. I'M WORRIED AND TO BE HONEST I WAKE UP EVERY DAY WITH THE BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH. I'M SURE OF THE NEXT HEADLINE NEXT EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNED OFF IN THE NEXT DENIAL RESPONSE AND
THE POLITICAL CLIMATE RIGHT NOW REALLY WORRIES ME AND EVEN IN THOSE WAKING MOMENTS OF DESPAIR I AM TRULY HONESTLY I AM MORE MOTIVATED THAN EVER AND SOMEDAY IT'S THIS MOTIVATION FLUCTUATES WEIGHED DOWN BY THE BARRIERS WE
FACE IN THE SYSTEM DESIGNED TO KEEP US STAGNANT. YET IN MOMENTS OF UNCERTAINTY I'M REMINDED THAT OUR COLLECTIVE POWER COMES FROM OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER. WE LIVE IN A CAPITALIST SOCIETY WHERE SURVIVAL OFTEN FEELS LIKE
A COMPETITION WHERE THE WEIGHT OF SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION FALLS DISPROPORTIONATELY ON OUR MOST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND OUR ABILITY TO THRIVE SHOULD NOT BE DICTATED BY THE POLICIES THAT CRIMINALIZE POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS OR THE MERE EXISTENCE OF THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN HISTORICALLY BEEN DENIED ACCESS TO RESOURCES LIKE BREAD, MILK OR BABY FORMULA OR TO SIMPLY LIVE IN PEACE. IT IS UP TO US TO PROTECT ONE ANOTHER, TO BUILD SYSTEMS OF MUTUAL AID TO SUSTAIN US
WHERE THE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED AND TO REDEFINE SAFETY THROUGH COMMUNITY AND NOT THROUGH POLICING. YET EVEN AS WE WORK TO UPLIFT ONE ANOTHER WE MUST ALSO HOLD INSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTIONS ACCOUNTABLE.
WE MUST DEMAND THAT THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ALSO RECOGNIZE WITH THE TRUST ACT BEING REAFFIRMED ALSO RECOGNIZE THE DISTRUST THAT THEY HAVE SHOWN THROUGH SURVEILLANCE OVER POLICING AND VIOLENCE AND IF
THEY CLAIM TO SERVE AND PROTECT I WANT THEM TO PROVE THEM PROVE IT NOT THROUGH PERFORMATIVE GESTURES BUT THROUGH ACTIONS THAT DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE ENGAGEMENT BEYOND CORRECTIVE MEASURES AND A SHIFT AWAY FROM POSSIBLY TREATING OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AS BATTLEGROUNDS A CITY WHERE DEPORTATIONS ARE ROUTINE BADGES OF ENFORCEMENT IF THE POLICE ARE TO EXIST IN OUR CITY. I WANT THEM TO WORK FOR TOWARDS
THE FUTURE AS WHERE AS WELL WE'RE CALLING FOR HELP DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE MIGHT BE AT RISK OF BEING DEHUMANIZED SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CATCH OUR WHIFF OF OUR ACCENT OR SMELL OF THE ABATTOIR FROM THE DOORWAY OR
BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXION OF OUR SKIN. MARY WU AND HER AND MAYOR WU IN HER SPEECH IN D.C. REMINDED US THAT A CITY STRENGTH IS NOT IN ITS WEALTH OR ITS INFRASTRUCTURE BUT IN A
WELL-BEING OF ITS PEOPLE. A CITY IS ONLY AS STRONG AS ITS MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AND IF WE ARE TO BUILD A BOSTON THAT TRULY SERVE ITS PEOPLE WE MUST BE UNCOMPROMISING IN OUR DEMAND FOR CHANGE. AND FOR THAT WE MUST ALSO GROW IN SOLIDARITY AND THUS NOT IN
TIMES OF CRISIS. AND SO I'M HERE TODAY TO END UP MY AND MY TESTIMONY IN GENERAL TO JUST CALL FOR ACTION FOR TRUST IN OUR COLLECTIVE POWER AND FOR A VISION OF JUSTICE
THAT TRULY POWERED IZE PEOPLE OF OUR INSTITUTIONS. AND I BELIEVE THAT WITH FURTHER EVALUATION AND KIND OF BEING IN THIS MEETING AS WELL AND KIND OF JUST HEARING EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED AND HAVING
CLEARER DEFINITIONS AND COMMUNICATION IN ITS LANGUAGE IN OUR TRUST. I THINK THAT COULD BE A DEFINITELY A FIRST STEP AS TO HOW THIS LEGISLATION THE LEGISLATION CAN TRULY PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT IS WITH THAT THAT WE DEMONSTRATE TRUE SOLIDARITY AND TRULY IN OUR TRUST. AND WITH THAT I CONSIDER THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING
HERE AND TESTIFYING. AND YOU SEE MY HUSBAND HERE IS VERY HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE ME. HENRY.
HI. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS HENRY BARBARO. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MASSACHUSETTS COALITION FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM.
THANK YOU TO THE BOSTON CITY COUNCILORS FOR HEARING MY TESTIMONY. I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE THE PARTICULARS OF THE BOSTON TRUST ACT. I SIMPLY WANT TO POINT OUT WHY
I BELIEVE THE BOSTON TRUST ACT IS SO CONTENTIOUS. IT'S BECAUSE THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL IS BEING UNCLEAR ABOUT THE BELIEFS AND GOALS THAT YOU
HOLD SURROUNDING THIS LAW. FIRST, THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT FULLY DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN LEGAL AND ILLEGAL MIGRANTS AND YOU DON'T SUPPORT THE FULL ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL
IMMIGRATION LAW IN THE COUNCIL'S VIEW. IF ANY MIGRANT IS IN OUR COUNTRY EVEN IF THEY GOT HERE ILLEGALLY THEN YOU WANT THEM TO STAY.
THAT IS AN OPEN BORDERS OUTLOOK ON AMERICA. THE METAPHOR TO SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES REALLY WORKS HERE IN TERMS OF THE ENFORCEMENT
OF FEDERAL LAW. THERE CURRENTLY ARE 1.2 MILLION MIGRANTS IN AMERICA WITH FINAL ORDERS OF REMOVAL. THIS MEANS THAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE FULL DUE PROCESS
AND HAVE HAD THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS FULLY RESPECT IT. BUT NOW THESE MIGRANTS ARE NOT LEAVING AND ARE FLOUTING THE LAW AND THE BOSTON TRUST ACT
PROTECTS THESE LAWBREAKERS. SO IF THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT BELIEVE IN OPEN BORDERS THEN WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IT? DO YOU HAVE A TARGET FOR HOW MANY MIGRANTS CAN COME AND STAY
IN OUR COUNTRY ILLEGALLY? AMERICA CURRENTLY BRINGS IN ABOUT 1.1 MILLION LEGAL IMMIGRANTS EVERY YEAR WHICH IS WAY MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY
IN THE WORLD. THE VOTERS ARE CONFUSED IF THEY BELIEVE IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW THEN THEY ARE TOLD THEY ARE RACIST AND ANTI-IMMIGRANT. SO WHY DOESN'T THE CITY
COUNCIL ADMIT THEY SUPPORT OPEN BORDERS? I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD STOP HIDING BEHIND SOME SORT OF CIVIL RIGHTS ARGUMENT AND TELL THE PLAIN TRUTH SO THAT THE VOTERS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE
DEALING WITH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU, HENRY. APPRECIATE YOU BEING WITH US TODAY. THAT WRAPS UP OUR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE LEAD SPONSOR TO SAY A FINAL FEW WORDS TO CLOSE THIS UP AND THEN WE WILL WILL AND TODAY'S HEARING. COUNCILMAN, HERE YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. YES. AS SOMEONE WHO SURVIVED I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND I WILL CONTINUE SHOWING UP AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE FOLKS WHO CAME HERE IN PERSON
TO TESTIFY. OUR PANEL AND OUR FOLKS WHO JOINED US VIRTUALLY WE HEAR YOU . WE SEE YOU AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.
AND WITH THAT I THINK OUR JOBS HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL IS TO TAKE EVERYTHING THAT WE HEAR INTO CONSIDERATION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING OUR OUR
OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM BE JUST FOR EVERYBODY NOT JUST FOR SOME. AND I THINK THAT I WILL I WILL LEAVE IT THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THESE TIMES ARE CALLING
FOR. SO WITH THAT WE WILL STILL KEEP SHOWING UP JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW AND WE WILL HAVE A SERIES OF OTHER HEARINGS AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS RIGHT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN HERE. I DEFINITELY ONE OF YOU IS THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR BEN FOR FILING THIS HEARING A HEARING ORDER.
I WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS, INCREDIBLE PANELISTS BOTH HERE IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY ALL I THINK PROVIDED DEFINITELY A LOT OF INSIGHT, A LOT OF BACKGROUND, A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR MYSELF AND
MY COLLEAGUES AND I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHETHER YOU TESTIFIED OR NOT. I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE STEPPING INTO AN CIVICALLY ENGAGED AND YEAH,
JUST BEING WITH US HERE TODAY. SO WITH THAT I WILL. THIS HEARING DOCKET NUMBERS DOCKET NUMBER 201280414 IS
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU