Chula Vista stands up for families

The Chula Vista City Council has approved a resolution opposing U.S. Government policies resulting in separation of immigrant children from their families and the detention of immigrant families; supporting alternatives to detention for immigrant families; and supporting actions or policies that expedite reunification while allowing families to proceed through the legal system.

The vote, taken at the July 17 City Council meeting, was 3-1-1, with Councilmember Mike Diaz opposed and Councilmember John McCann abstaining. I am grateful to the Chula Vista Human Relations Commission and South Bay People Power for their thoughtful comments and suggestions during the process of drafting the resolution.

The history of the way immigrants have been treated in this country includes actions that we now look back on with shame and regret. Some examples are the forced relocation and outright genocide of Native Americans; the mass deportation (labeled the “Mexican Repatriation”) of Mexican-Americans; the rejection of Jewish refugees who were refused entry to the U.S. during WWII and were later killed in Nazi concentration camps; and the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII, which affected South Bay families directly. The recent inhumane and immoral separation of children from their families at the border now joins this shameful list of indefensible policies and actions. Probably the best evidence of how despicable this family-separation policy was is how quickly the government reversed itself in the face of worldwide condemnation.

I believe that citizenship obligates us to love our country, and to speak out when immoral acts are perpetrated in her name. We can all feel pride that the city of Chula Vista joins Solana Beach as the only two cities in San Diego County to speak out against this most recent example of cruelty and xenophobia carried out in the name of the country we all love.

 

CLARIFICATION: A previous version of this letter stated: “A bit of wordsmithing took place on the Council dais, so we don’t have the final resolution yet, but will forward it to you once it is available.”  The line was from a draft of this letter sent to constituents. The council has since voted on and approved the final resolution.