REGULAR MEETING of the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS MARCH 3, 2025 AT 6:30PM W. 3rd Street AUSTIN CITY HALL ROOM 1101 AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Gunjen Mittal at gunjen.mittal@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-6104. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Melissa Ortega, Chair Kevin T. Countie Miriam Dorantes, Vice Chair Adrian De La Rosa Azeem Edwin Aditi Joshi Jeanne “Canan” Kaba Yohana Saucedo Shweta Padmanabha AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs regular meeting on January 6, 2025. STAFF BRIEFING 2. Briefing by Lieutenant Davis Christopher, Austin Police Department, regarding general updates on policies pertaining to the Immigrant Community. 3. Briefing by Houmma Garba, Language Access and Community Engagement Consultant from the Corporate Communications & Public Information Office regarding the new citywide language access plan. 4. Briefing by Rocio Villalobos, Equity and Inclusion Program Manager - Immigrant Affairs, regarding general updates on immigrant affairs. 5. Briefing by Alejandra Mireles and/or Jeremy Garza, Equity and Inclusion Program Coordinator from (Equity Division) Office of Equity and Inclusion, regarding timeline and steps for Quality of Life Study. PRESENTATION 6. Presentation by Rebecca Lightsey, Co-Executive Director of American Gateways regarding an update on their work, to highlight the effective use of the City's support as the recipient of a City of Austin grant to provide vital legal immigration services to low-income residents and advocate for continued funding for immigration legal services in next year's City budget. DISCUSSION ITEMS 7. Welcome new commissioners to Commission on Immigrant Affairs. 8. Discussion of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs’ Draft Budget Recommendations for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. 9. Discussion on updates on JIC recommendations. Group. Group. 10. Discussion on proposed dates for a Special Called meeting regarding FY26 budget recommendations. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 11. Discussion and action on approving …
(COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS) MEETING MINUTES (6, JANUARY, 2025) COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS REGULAR MEETING MINUTES 6, JANUARY, 2025 The COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS convened in a REGULAR CALLED meeting on 6, JANUARY, 2025, PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO, AUSTIN, TEXAS. Chair MELISSA ORTEGA called the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS Meeting to order at 6:50 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Melissa Ortega, Chair Miriam Dorantes, Vice Chair Kevin T. Countie Aditi Joshi Jeanne “Canan” Kaba Luis Osta Lugo Shweta Padmanabha Adrian De La Rosa Yohana Saucedo Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Miriam Dorantes, Vice Chair Kevin T. Countie Aditi Joshi Jeanne “Canan” Kaba Luis Osta Lugo Shweta Padmanabha Yohana Saucedo PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL List name of speaker(s) and brief description of topic. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve the minutes of the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS (REGULAR) MEETING on November 4, 2024. 1. 1 (COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS) MEETING MINUTES (6, JANUARY, 2025) The minutes from the meeting of (11/4/2024) were approved on Kevin Countie’s motion, Aditi Joshi second on a (9-0) vote. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Certified Welcoming update, proposal for an Office of Immigrant Affairs, Know Your Rights presentations, and Immigrant Inclusion Mini Grant. The presentation was made by (Rocio Villalobos, Immigrant Affairs Manager at the Equity & Inclusion Office). PRESENTATION 3. Presentation regarding the Immigrant Hall of Honor initiative focusing on the contributions of immigrants after arriving to the U.S. The presentation by Sara Puig Laas, Board Director of the Immigrant Hall of Honor. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Welcome new Commission members to the Commission on Immigrant Affairs. The Chair welcomed new Commissioners to the Board. 5. Discussion and update of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs review at the December 11, 2024, Audit and Finance Committee meeting due to the failure of the Commission to convene for a period of over six months. The Chair provided an overview of the Audit and emphasized the importance of meeting quorum each month. 6. Discussion on planning a retreat for all Commissioners for early 2025. Discussion was had and they are now planning the retreat for another time early in the year. 7. Discussion of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs’ goals and objectives for 2025 budget recommendations as they relate to the Commission’s purpose and duties in City Code. Goals discussed were: public safety, economic development, life assessment, health care, financial literacy, legal literacy, U-Visas approval rate, educational system …
