Chula Vista opposes racists Arizona AB1070 law

Chula Vista, CA. – On Tuesday evening after a long four and a half hour City Council meeting, Chula Vista residents, members of the faith, labor and business community awaited patiently as the Chula Vista City Council voted 3 (Councilmembers Thompson, Bensoussan, Castañeda) to 1 (Mayor Cheryl Cox) to pass a resolution that stated:

"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA THAT:
1. We reaffirm our City policy regarding Adult Undocumented Persons, recognizing and valuing the diversity of our community, while ensuring safety and the well being of all persons; regardless of their immigration status; and
2. We strongly oppose Arizona SB 1070 and: a) urge the Federal Government to prioritize immigration reform, and; b) urge the California Governor and our California legislative delegation to oppose AZ SB1070 and any form of law similar in nature;
3. We direct the City Clerk to send a copy of this resolution to the following: a) U.S. President Barack Obama; b) California Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein; c) California Representative Bob Filner; d) the House Judiciary Committee Chair, John Conyers Jr.; House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security & International Law Chair, Zoe Lofgren; Senate Judiciary Committee Chair, Patrick Leahy, and; Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees & Border Security Chair, Chuck Schumer.

Sylvia Baiz, a Chula Vista resident of 22 years and Immigration Attorney, stated "we are glad that the council did the right thing, and decided to stand on the side of civil rights and dignity and respect for all people and opposed the divisive racial profiling law that AZ recently passed. We are hopeful that Arizona will repeal this law or that it is stopped in the courts."

A broad coalition of community members that testified included The Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE),a statewide community organization working with thousands of members in eleven counties creating transformative change by helping ordinary citizens to organize and take action, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service and Justice Overcoming Boundaries-JOB, a faith-based countywide community organization committed to the development of leaders so that they address the issues that affect them, their families and communities. JOB was founded in 2004, and is comprised of 13 member institutions, representing 20,000 families. JOB is a member of Gamaliel Foundation an International Organizing Network.