Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS REGULAR MEETING Monday, May 2, 2022 6:30PM Meeting Minutes Nicole E Merritt Adrian De La Rosa Aditi Joshi Sara Becker Boards Members in Attendance: Juan Vences-Benitez, Chair Krystal M Gomez, Vice Chair Karen J Crawford Joseph E Ramirez-Hernandez Rennison Lalgee Board Members not in Attendance: Glenn M Rosales Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch Karen Reyes Staff in Attendance: CALL TO ORDER Sarah Williams, Acting Staff Liaison, Administrative Sr for the Health Equity Unit, Austin Public Health Chair Juan Vences-Benitez called the Commission Meeting to order at 6:39 p.m. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL No speakers registered 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – April 4, 2022 a. Motion to postpone by Aditi, seconded by Karen Crawford. All in favor, postponed to 2. NEW BUSINESS: DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS: June meeting a. U Visa Process i. Krystal and Karen Crawford met with the District Attorney to discuss how their office is overhauling their U Visa Process policies. They are trying to standardize best practice. ii. Kate and Karen met with Lt. Chomout about APD’s role in the U Visa process. They confirmed that they will not certify Class C’s because they do not investigate them. They will refer them to help. Also discussed the U Visa Review  Panel. There was a change in policy within APD which created this Committee and made it impossible to review or re-consider decisions made in U Visa process. APD was hesitant to create review process because they lacked staff. COIA created a volunteer group to help them with these reviews for the last few years. APD confirmed in this meeting that they will be taking over this process and are currently working out details. 1. Karen will forward summary notes from the meeting. 2. Will ask APD to give a briefing at a future meeting about their updates to the U Visa process. iii. Received a request from a local attorney to talk to the Travis County Attorney’s office because they have had applications pending for over a year. There are children aging out because of the long wait times and they cannot get any response from the office. 1. Commission can ask if they will come to a future meeting for a briefing on the current process and wait times. 2. Vice-Chair Krystal will email Lucio Del Toro to ask for clarification as to why the wait times are so high. 3. Karen will reach out to non-profits for further feedback on their experience with the process and wait times. b. Annual Report for the Commission i. Need to confirm the necessary template. ii. Juan will begin working on it and then the Commission will continue working on it in the next meeting. 3. OLD BUSINESS a. Budget Updates – Karen i. We are getting close to the time for public input. ii. City Manager will be releasing next fiscal year’s budget July 15th b. Joint Inclusion Committee Meeting Update – Karen i. Equity Office is interested in idea of doing Quality of Life studies for the different commissions and have added it to their agenda. c. Report Back from ISNA and RST quarterly consultations – Juan and Rennison i. No updates d. Updates on the Enhanced Library Card i. Juan and Adrian will connect with Rocio and Councilman Fuentes for updates. e. Quality of Life Working Group Updates – Juan, Karen, Aditi i. Have not met yet, Juan will contact to set up meeting before June. f. Follow up on invitation to tour 911 call center i. Juan will follow up to see what dates are available. We will likely plan for two groups to avoid quorum. ii. Austin has a new script to direct people to mental health services as needed. 4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS a. Invite APL back because they are becoming a mechanism for community-focused work. There may be opportunities to collaborate. Would also like to hear feedback on their expansion of library services to Travis County, particularly the eastern crescent. b. Invite the Refugee Health Services back to check in. Would like updated numbers on Afghani refugees and the quantity of clinics and services needed for them. RST would be  a good group to ask for that information. Juan and Rennison will discuss and reach out to RST. c. Goal-setting, planning, and visioning for the next year, possibly next month or the month after. d. Invite Travis County Attorney to give a presentation. e. Expansion on the Immigrant Affairs Office. Discuss where do we envision Rocio’s position. We have advocated for a full office but that may not happen. It could potentially be a joint city and county venture. Will discuss as a part of the Commission’s goals after budget decisions are made. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS 6. ADJOURNMENT a. Previously voted to move July and September meeting to July 5th and September 6th. City Hall is all booked so it will be held at the Permitting and Development Center. a. Chair Juan Vences-Benitez adjourned the meeting at 7:14 p.m. without objection. The minutes were approved at the June 6th, 2022 meeting on Commissioner Aditi’s motion, Commissioner Krystal’s second on a 7-0 vote. 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 planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Sarah Williams at Austin Public Health Department, at 512-972-5123, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Commission on Immigrant Affairs, please contact Sarah Williams at 512-972- 5123.