[stopracism]

City of Ann Arbor Legislation Text
File #: 10-0688, Version: 1
Title
A Resolution Urging Repeal of Arizona Senate Bill 1070, "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe
Neighborhoods" Act
Body
Whereas, The City Council of the City of Ann Arbor hereby finds, determines and declares as follows:
a) O n April 23, 2010, the Arizona Governor signed Arizona Senate Bill 1070 (Support Our Law
Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act), requiring all local law enforcement to investigate a
person’s immigration status when there is a reasonable suspicion that the person is in the
Country unlawfully, regardless of whether that person is suspected of a crime; and
b) A rizona’s law permits the arrest of a person by local law enforcement, without a warrant, if
there is suspicion that the person is not in the United States legally; and
c) T his law does not prohibit law enforcement officers from solely relying on factors such as race,
ethnicity, national origin or language to determine who to investigate; and,
d) T his law encourages racial profiling and may violate Fourteenth Amendment guarantees of
due process and equal protection for U.S. citizens, legal residents and visitors who are
detained for suspicion of being in the Country unlawfully; and
e) T his law may have a chilling effect on victims and witnesses, regardless of legal status,
choosing to forego reporting crime or testifying to a crime to prevent immigration-related
interrogation, discriminatory treatment and arrest; and
f) Accordingly, this law may severely undermine law enforcement’s ability to effectively maintain
public safety resulting in increased crime; and
g) T he stated purpose of this law attempts to usurp functions specifically and solely traditionally
reserved for federal authorities. As a result, many legal scholars, including the Obama
administration itself, have questioned the constitutionality of the law in that it may violate the
U.S. Constitution, and undermines the exclusive power over immigration matters granted to
Congress; and
h) U ndocumented persons, due to their immigration status, are often a more vulnerable segment
of our community victimized by violent criminals, employers and slumlords, finding themselves
without recourse due to the threat of deportation; and
i) United States Citizens, legal residents, visitors and undocumented persons alike may now be
recklessly subject to racial profiling, harassment and discrimination in states such as Arizona
and those that pass similar legislation while legal challenges are pending, comprehensive
immigration reform is critical and should promptly be addressed by the U.S. President and
Congress; and
j) The City of Ann Arbor considers the safety of its residents an unconditional priority, and strives
to protect the community from all criminals, irrespective of legal status;
RESOLVED That the City Council of the City of Ann Arbor opposes SB 1070 and calls upon the
Arizona Legislature to repeal SB 1070;
RESOLVED That the City Council of the City of Ann Arbor urges the President and the Congress of the United States to work on comprehensive immigration reform to fix our nation’s broken
immigration system; and
RESOLVED That the City Clerk be directed to transmit copies of this resolution to the President and
the Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to each
Senator and Representative from Michigan in the Congress of the United States and to the Governor
of the State of Arizona.
This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this Resolution.
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Briere and Smith