Special Meeting of the Commission of Immigrant Affairs Monday, August 3, 2020 Commission on Immigrant Affairs to be held August 3, 2020 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (Sunday, August 2, 2020 by noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the August 3, 2020 Commission on Immigrant Affairs Meeting, residents must: •Call or email the board liaison at 512-401-7801 or connie.gonzales@austintexas.gov no later than noon, (the day before the meeting). The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. •Speakers must call in at least 30 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to connie.gonzales@austintexas.gov by Noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. If this meeting is broadcast live, residents may watch the meeting here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live COMMISSION ON Immigrant Affairs Monday, August 3, 2020 1:00PM VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING Rennison Lalgee Banafsheh Madaninejad Nicole Merritt Glen Rosales CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Karen Crawford, Chair Adrian De La Rosa Krystal Gomez, Vice Chair Montserrat Garibay Sam Adair Juan Vences- Benitez Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch Joseph Ramirez-Hernandez AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 2. NEW BUSINESS 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July 6, 2020 A. Zach Baumer and Celine Rendon, Office of Sustainability - Presentation on Austin Community Climate Plan 2020 Revision B. Rocio Villalobos, City of Austin Equity Office – discussion on the recommendations for use of municipal ID feasibility study funding, update about Welcoming America and the Welcoming Cities Week. 3. OLD BUSINESS funding A. Update on budget process – discussion of possible recommendation regarding police FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are …
COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFAIRS Recommendation Number: 20200803-003A Regarding: Austin Police Department budget WHEREAS, the Commission on Immigrant Affairs over the years has listened to reports from the community and from public and nonprofit agencies regarding the needs of the immigrant community; WHEREAS, the needs of the immigrant community are often unmet due to budgetary restrictions; WHEREAS, while our Commission has been able to make recommendations regarding the budget, and while we have been asked to look at equities and efficiencies within most departments, we have not been able to look the Austin Police Department’s budget with an eye to equities and efficiencies; WHEREAS, one of the concerns of this Commission has been community trust with the Austin Police Department; WHEREAS, commissions, community leaders and the public are calling for public safety reform and changes in the Austin Police Department leadership and budget in response to local and nationwide police violence; WHEREAS, the community has expressed concerns to us about over policing in areas of Austin where immigrants reside; WHEREAS, we have heard from the community in community budget forums concerns that the Austin Police Department Budget is out of proportion to other department budgets and concerns that APD funds could be put to better use; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That Boards and Commissions receive full information about the Austin Police Department’s budget and be able to make recommendations about it; That in discussing the Austin Police Department’s budget, Council take into account the need for community liaisons with the Austin Police Department, such as the Immigrant Community Liaison, and look into potentially expanding that program to further reach out to the Immigrant Community; That in discussing the Austin Police Department’s budget, Council take into account the need for Victim Services, and take into account whether there are sufficient bilingual or multilingual officers and whether such officers are culturally competent; That in discussing the Austin Police Department’s budget, Council ensures that Austin Police Department has officers on the ground who are bilingual and has officers on the ground who are culturally competent. COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFAIRS Recommendation Number: 20200803-003A Regarding: Austin Police Department budget PASSED by the Commission on Immigrant Affairs on August 3, 2020. Unanimously approved by the Commission on Immigrant Affairs on an 8-0 vote with and Banafsheh Madaninejad, Nicole Merritt, Kate Goldfinch, and Juan Vences-Benitez absent. Attest: Staff Liaison
