Dylan Brogan
Web-SafeSpaceUpdate-02-08-2017
Joua Lee testifying before Madison Common Council
Not in our town. That’s the message the Madison Common Council sent Tuesday night in response to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration. After initially facing scrutiny from some alders and Mayor Paul Soglin, the council unanimously passed a resolution condemning Trump’s executive orders to temporarily restrict immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries, bar all Syrian refugees indefinitely and get tough on so-called “sanctuary cities.”
Dozens of people packed the Common Council chambers in support of the resolution. Public testimony started with four Hmong women who are refugees.
“In the [United States'] secret war in Laos, my father lost all of his brothers trying to save American pilots. He gave up a lot to bring us to this country,” said Mai Zong Vue, who came to the U.S. as a teenager. “When American pilots were downed...they were embraced. They treated that person like a king because they were American. So here in the United States, I think we need to return that kind of welcoming to our newcomers. To our immigrants. To our refugees.”
The resolution designates the Common Council office as well as Madison’s public libraries as “safe spaces,” where residents can obtain phone interpreter services and immigrant rights information. The original language in the resolution designated only the council office — room 417 in the City County Building — as a “safe space, where all residents may enter and be safe and protected.” On Feb. 1, Soglin threatened to veto the resolution over this line, calling it a “reckless act” that could prompt a backlash from state lawmakers bent on leveling their own crackdown on “sanctuary cities.” City Attorney Michael May said in a memo that the language was “so vague as to be almost meaningless.” Alds. Samba Baldeh and Rebecca Kemble also expressed concern that the Common Council office might not be equipped to provide this type of assistance.
In response, Bidar-Sielaff amended the resolution to clarify the services that would be provided. That was enough to get alders and the mayor on board. Soglin says it's key to have a strategy that advances resistance to real change.
“The resolution here before us, as amended, accomplishes that. It may seem to be a subtle difference from what was originally introduced,” said Soglin. “But in many ways, it allows us to maintain the very nature of what we are committed to doing without in any way creating a setback or an opportunity for someone else to unduly inflict harm or pain on us.”
Ald. Samba Baldeh attempted to amend the resolution to have Madison libraries provide phone interpreter services and immigrant rights information instead of the council’s office, reasoning that library staff is already familiar with these services. Although his amendment failed, the libraries were later included as “safe spaces,” along with the council office. Baldeh still has concerns but did lend his support for the resolution in the end.
“I’d like to have all city building to be designated as such,” says Baldeh. “But reality is, right now I don't think we have the capacity to reach out to everyone and make that a possibility.”
It was standing-room only in the council chamber for much of the evening, with many of the people there in favor of Bidar-Sielaff’s proposal.
“I strongly believe that having a safe space at the [Common Council office] sends an important message to the all the immigrant communities in Madison,” said Diego Campoverde. “It can be a place where we can find interpreters, guidance, counseling and support. And most importantly, a place to feel safe. Especially nowadays, in these times of fear and uncertainty.”
Lisa Veldran, one of the staffers who works in the Common Council office, is confident they can deliver on the new responsibilities.
“The language was so vague in the beginning that it was really unclear what we were being asked to do,” says Veldran. “It’s not going to be a sanctuary, so to speak. It’ll be another one of the constituent services that we provide.”
In addition to condemning Trump’s executive orders, the resolution also supports the Madison Police Department’s current policy for interacting with immigrants. And it codifies policy that city staff not ask or disclose any resident’s immigration status.
“If [city staff] is contacted by any immigration authority to release information...[it will be] directed to the city attorney's office so they can very carefully analyze what the request is and how narrowly we have to interpret that request,” explained Bidar-Sielaff.
Although largely symbolic, the resolution is an important gesture to many who addressed the council Tuesday night. Julissa Ventura, who co-facilitates a youth group at Centro Hispano, says many immigrant families in Madison live in fear.
“Students are worried they are going to lose a parent or both parents. Or that they themselves won't be able to pursue higher education,” Ventura told the council. “Please consider this resolution for our youth, our families, to have a little less fear in the times we are living in today.”
