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Immigration Laws

Immigrants welcome in Bloomfield, council says

Matt Kadosh, Staff Writer, @MattKadosh

The local government in Bloomfield wants to make it clear: immigrants are welcome.

And so it did on Monday, Feb. 27, with the adoption of the “Fair and Welcoming Bloomfield Resolution” affirming it values its diversity even as Americans are “deeply concerned” about how President Donald Trump’s administration will impact their lives.

With Councilman Carlos Pomares translating from Spanish, Bloomfield’s Elida Roque, 48, of Peru, sought to assess the effectiveness of the resolution by asking if Mayor Michael Venezia would refuse to turn over to federal authorities documents detailing a resident’s immigration status.

“She is aware of friends whose children are afraid to go to school for fear of being picked up and of other adult workers who are afraid to go to their jobs because they also are fearful of being detained, deported [and] separated from their families,” Pomares said.

The council’s measure “provides strong privacy protections” limiting the extent to which town employees can keep and share “confidential personal information,” including on residents' national origin. However, the resolution does not expressly prohibit municipal employees from sharing such information with federal authorities.

Vine Street resident Philip Eubanks, who works for a New York City papal agency providing humanitarian and pastoral support, backs the measure.

“Are we going to be a community that holds up the spirit of hospitality and being welcoming, or are we going to be a community that holds up the spirit of fear?” Eubanks asked.

Under the measure, Bloomfield Police will not let the federal government deputize local law enforcement to act as immigration agents, use local facilities to house immigrants in deportation proceedings or participate in joint operations with federal immigration authorities, including by assisting in traffic stops, raids or by detaining people based on perceived or actual immigration status.

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Forest Drive resident Maryann D’urso, Carteret Street resident Moira Nelson and Broughton Avenue resident Jane Califf all spoke in support of the council’s measure Monday night.

“There are over 600 towns and cities across the country that have endorsed statements like this,” Califf said. “And it’s not silly. It helps restore families. Families are being torn apart across the country.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is prohibited from accessing township facilities, property, equipment or databases without a judge’s order, the resolution stipulates.

Actualizing

Joel Hubbard, the lead pastor at Park United Methodist Church of Bloomfield, who said 15 percent of his congregation is comprised of first-generation immigrants, wants the resolution's language to be bullet-proof.

“There seems to be great intention, but unless I misread, there wasn’t a plan set forth as to how we would develop the policies and principals behind the resolution,” said Hubbard, a member of the steering committee of the Greater Interfaith Partners of Bloomfield, which represents six area religious communities.

He expressed concern with a part of the resolution stipulating that no employee would be prohibited from sharing with other agencies, state or federal, information pertaining to the citizenship or non-citizenship of community members.

“There was a caveat … which took away all the meat or intent of the resolution,” said Hubbard, who invited the Township Council and Civil Rights Commission to continue the discussion at Park United Methodist Church, Sunday, March 12, at 5 p.m.

The resolution passed by a unanimous vote in front of a crowd of about 150 people, who stood and clapped in support

Audience members clap following the Bloomfield Township Council's adopting a measure declaring the municipality "Fair and Welcoming" to immigrants.

Venezia said that in the past four years the Bloomfield Police Department has not called immigration authorities.

“We have illegal immigrants among us. … Many of them support local businesses. Many of them work for local businesses,” he said.

Charles Bainbridge, a resident of Hearthstone Road, views it differently. 

“There’s nothing wrong with legal, vetted refugees. But I have real concerns about illegal, non-vetted refugees,” Bainbridge said.

The Bloomfield mayor's words marked a contrast from those spoken by Belleville Township Mayor Raymond Kimble on Feb. 14, who appeared to agree with a resident critical of the “sanctuary city” movement.

“Police officers enforce all laws: federal, state and municipal,” Kimble said.

Email: kadosh@northjersey.com

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