REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2026, AT 6:30 PM AUSTIN CITY HALL, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM 1101 301 W 2nd STREET 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 Nekaybaw Watson, 512-974-2562, nekaybaw.watson@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS : Miriam Dorantes, Chair Adrian De La Rosa Aditi Joshi Diane Kanawati Melissa Ortega Caroline Solis AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Alondra Johnson, Vice-Chair Azeem Edwin Jeanne “Canan” Kaba Wilson Ramirez Meghna Roy The first ten speakers signed up prior 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 August 3rd, 2026. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Create a list of questions and discussion items for City of Austin Departments for future presentations. 3. Discussion on the strategic impact of the commission (organizations you want to invite, recommendations you want to pass, and discussions you think are necessary to have publicly.) 4. Discussion on emergency relief funding and resources due to detentions resulting in family separation. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Approve the 2027 Annual Meeting Schedule of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs. 6. Approve a Recommendation to Council to Recognize the Recent APD Shooting & Create Supportive Measures to Provide Public Accountability. 7. Approve a Recommendation to Council to Support the Family and Community Affected by the September 20, 2026, Shooting. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 8. Update from the Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) representative regarding August meeting of the JIC. 9. Update from Quality-of-Life Study Working group regarding recent meetings and study progress. (Current Members: Vice Chair Johnson, Commissioners: Edwin, Kaba, Kanawati, Joshi and Ortega) FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS Recommendation 20261005-006: Recognition of Recent APD Shooting & Supporting Measures to Provide Public Accountability WHEREAS, on July 24, 2026, 17-year-old Anthoneil Williams II was fatally shot by Austin Police Department (APD) officers at a neighborhood park near Baden Lane and Dessau Road; and WHEREAS, subsequent official reviews and Austin Police Department disclosures revealed that Anthoneil Williams II was unarmed and the object in his waistband was a water bottle at the time officers discharged their weapons; and WHEREAS, while the shooting remained under active investigation, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis publicly stated that “all points” indicated the incident was a “suicide by police,” assigning a possible motive to Anthoneil Williams II before the completion of independent and thorough investigations; and WHEREAS, the National Police Accountability Project (NPAP), a national organization dedicated to police accountability and civil rights, specifically criticized APD's rapid characterization of Anthoneil Williams II's death as “suicide by cop,” raising concerns that assigning such a label before a meaningful investigation shifts attention away from questions of de-escalation, use of force, and governmental accountability; and WHEREAS, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), a national organization of police executives and law-enforcement professionals, recognizes that encounters involving individuals believed to be seeking a lethal police response should prompt specialized crisis intervention emphasizing time, distance, communication, patience, and de-escalation, and has documented that many such encounters can be resolved without the use of lethal force; and WHEREAS, terminology such as “suicide by cop” or “suicide by police,” particularly when used before an investigation has established a person's intent, risks shifting responsibility for a police- involved death onto the deceased, making that individual the perceived causal actor in their own death while prematurely shaping public understanding of the government's use of deadly force; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin should use neutral, fact-based language when communicating about police-involved deaths and should distinguish between evidence concerning a person's possible mental or behavioral health crisis and the separate question of whether officers' actions, tactics, de-escalation efforts, and use of force were appropriate; and WHEREAS, repeated patterns of officer misconduct, insufficient de-escalation, and unjustified use of force have historically inflicted severe trauma and deadly harm across Austin communities; and WHEREAS, civilian oversight bodies, including the Community Police Review Commission, require unfettered access to all body-worn camera footage, dispatch recordings, internal affairs files, and investigative materials to ensure true transparency, …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Commission on Immigrant Affairs Recommendation Number: [20261005-007]: Support for the Family and Community Affected by the September 20, 2026 ICE-Involved Shooting in Austin Date of Approval: 10/5/2026 Recommendation: The Commission on Immigrant Affairs recommends that Austin City Council take immediate action to support our community member, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, his family, and the broader Austin immigrant community following the September 20, 2026, shooting of Mr. Garces Perez by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in North Austin. The Commission calls on Austin City Council to ensure access to medical care, legal support, transparency, and community safety resources for those affected, and to advocate for full accountability and an independent investigation into the incident. Description of Recommendation to Council: ● Direct City resources and staff, where legally permissible, to connect Mr. Garces Perez's family and legal counsel with available victim support services, translation and interpretation assistance, and mental health resources. ● Formally request that federal authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE, ensure Mr. Garces Perez receives immediate and adequate medical care for his injuries, and that he is not deported before a thorough, independent investigation into the shooting is completed, including an explanation for the lack of medical treatment. ● Support Austin Police Department's (APD) independent investigation into the incident and request that City Council receive regular public updates on the investigation's findings and any related body camera, dashcam, or witness video evidence. ● Request that City Council Members whose districts are directly affected by this incident, including Council Members Chito Vela (District 4) and Mike Siegel (District 7), work together on all outcomes related to this incident, given that the affected area sits along the seam between their districts. ● Request that the City of Austin and Travis County, including elected officials and executive staff, do everything within their power to ensure all facts of this case are shared publicly and are made language-accessible in at least English and Spanish. ● Call for full accountability for this incident, including ensuring the federal agent involved does not leave the state so that he may be questioned, publicly identify the federal agent by name, and that all relevant body camera footage is turned over to local authorities. ● Call on APD to prioritize peaceful de-escalation strategies and to uphold the constitutional right to assembly during public protests related to this incident. ● …
COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2026 The Commission on Immigrant Affairs convened in a regular meeting on Monday, August 3, 2026, at 310 W 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Dorantes called the meeting to order at 6:34pm. Commissioners in Attendance: Miriam Dorantes, Chair Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Alondra Johnson, Vice Chair Adrian De La Rosa Aditi Joshi Jeanne Kaba Diane Kanawati Wilson Ramirez Meghna Roy Caroline Solis Commissioners Absent: Azeem Edwin Melissa Ortega Yohanna Saucedo PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs Regular Meeting on July 6th, 2026. The minutes of the July 6th , 2026 regular meeting of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs was approved on Chair Dorantes’ motion, Commissioner Kaba’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioner Roy was off dais. Commissioners Edwin, Joshi, Ortega, and Saucedo were absent. 1 STAFF BRIEFING 2. Staff briefing regarding the new Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) Dashboard. Presentation by Sara Peralta, Public Information and Marketing Program Manager, Austin Police Oversight and Crystal Kimbrough, Policy Compliance Consultant, Austin Police Oversight. Briefing was given by Sara Peralta, Public Information and Marketing Program Manager, Austin Police Oversight and Crystal Kimbrough, Policy Compliance Consultant, Austin Police Oversight. 3. Staff briefing regarding the Austin Resilience Network. Presentation by Natalie Lyell, Resilience and Partnerships Manager, Austin Emergency Management. Briefing was given to Natalie Lyell, Resilience and Partnerships Manager, Austin Emergency Management. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding SAFE ATX. The motion to approve a recommendation to council regarding SAFE ATX was approved on Chair Dorantes’ motion, Commissioner Kanawati’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Edwin, Joshi, Ortega and Saucedo were absent. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 5. 6. Update from the Joint Inclusion Committee representative regarding the July meeting of the JIC. Update provided by Commissioner Kanawati. Update from Quality-of-Life Study Working group regarding recent meetings and study progress. (Current Members: Vice Chair Johnson, Commissioners: Edwin, Kaba, Kanawati, Joshi, and Ortega) Update provided by Commissioner Kanawati. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS -Invite Austin Police to answer questions about Austin Police Oversight Officer Involved Shooting Dashboard -JIC Update on budget recommendations -Update from the Quality of Life Study working group ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:19 pm on Commissioner Joshi’s motion, Vice Chair Johnson’s second with no objection. The minutes of the July 6th regular meeting of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS Recommendation 20261005-006: Recognition of Recent APD Shooting & Supporting Measures to Provide Public Accountability WHEREAS, on July 24, 2026, 17-year-old Anthoneil Williams II was fatally shot by Austin Police Department (APD) officers at a neighborhood park near Baden Lane and Dessau Road; and WHEREAS, subsequent official reviews and Austin Police Department disclosures revealed that Anthoneil Williams II was unarmed and the object in his waistband was a water bottle at the time officers discharged their weapons; and WHEREAS, while the shooting remained under active investigation, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis publicly stated that “all points” indicated the incident was a “suicide by police,” assigning a possible motive to Anthoneil Williams II before the completion of independent and thorough investigations; and WHEREAS, the National Police Accountability Project (NPAP), a national organization dedicated to police accountability and civil rights, specifically criticized APD's rapid characterization of Anthoneil Williams II's death as “suicide by cop,” raising concerns that assigning such a label before a meaningful investigation shifts attention away from questions of de-escalation, use of force, and governmental accountability; and WHEREAS, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), a national organization of police executives and law-enforcement professionals, recognizes that encounters involving individuals believed to be seeking a lethal police response should prompt specialized crisis intervention emphasizing time, distance, communication, patience, and de-escalation, and has documented that many such encounters can be resolved without the use of lethal force; and WHEREAS, terminology such as “suicide by cop” or “suicide by police,” particularly when used before an investigation has established a person's intent, risks shifting responsibility for a police- involved death onto the deceased, making that individual the perceived causal actor in their own death while prematurely shaping public understanding of the government's use of deadly force; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin should use neutral, fact-based language when communicating about police-involved deaths and should distinguish between evidence concerning a person's possible mental or behavioral health crisis and the separate question of whether officers' actions, tactics, de-escalation efforts, and use of force were appropriate; and WHEREAS, repeated patterns of officer misconduct, insufficient de-escalation, and unjustified use of force have historically inflicted severe trauma and deadly harm across Austin communities; and WHEREAS, civilian oversight bodies, including the Community Police Review Commission, require unfettered access to all body-worn camera footage, dispatch recordings, internal affairs files, and investigative materials to ensure true transparency, …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Commission on Immigrant Affairs Recommendation Number: [20261005-007]: Support for the Family and Community Affected by the September 20, 2026 ICE-Involved Shooting in Austin Date of Approval: Recommendation: The Commission on Immigrant Affairs recommends that Austin City Council take immediate action to support our community member, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, his family, and the broader Austin immigrant community following the September 20, 2026, shooting of Mr. Garces Perez by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in North Austin. The Commission calls on Austin City Council to ensure access to medical care, legal support, transparency, and community safety resources for those affected, and to advocate for full accountability and an independent investigation into the incident. Description of Recommendation to Council: ● Direct City resources and staff, where legally permissible, to connect Mr. Garces Perez's family and legal counsel with available victim support services, translation and interpretation assistance, and mental health resources. ● Formally request that federal authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE, ensure Mr. Garces Perez receives immediate and adequate medical care for his injuries, and that he is not deported before a thorough, independent investigation into the shooting is completed, including an explanation for the lack of medical treatment. ● Support Austin Police Department's (APD) independent investigation into the incident and request that City Council receive regular public updates on the investigation's findings and any related body camera, dashcam, or witness video evidence. ● Request that City Council Members whose districts are directly affected by this incident, including Council Members Chito Vela (District 4) and Mike Siegel (District 7), work together on all outcomes related to this incident, given that the affected area sits along the seam between their districts. ● Request that the City of Austin and Travis County, including elected officials and executive staff, do everything within their power to ensure all facts of this case are shared publicly and are made language-accessible in at least English and Spanish. DRAFT ● Call for full accountability for this incident, including ensuring the federal agent involved does not leave the state so that he may be questioned, publicly identify the federal agent by name, and that all relevant body camera footage is turned over to local authorities. ● Call on APD to prioritize peaceful de-escalation strategies and to uphold the constitutional right to assembly during public protests related to this incident. ● …
