Item 1: August 4, 2025 Draft Minutes — original pdf

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Commission on Immigrant Affairs Meeting Minutes August 4, 2025 Commission on Immigrant Affairs Regular Meeting Minutes Monday, August 4, 2025 The Commission on Immigrant Affairs convened in a regular meeting on Monday, August 4, 2025, at Austin City Hall, W 3rd St, Room 1101 in Austin, Texas. Vice Chair Dorantes called the Commission on Immigrant Affairs Regular Meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Melissa Ortega, Chair Miriam Dorantes, Vice Chair Adrian De La Rosa Alondra Johnson Diane Kanawati Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Aditi Joshi Meghna Roy Yohanna Saucedo PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission on Immigration Affairs regular meeting on July 7, 2025. The minutes from the meeting of July 7, 2025, were approved on Commissioner Kanawati’s motion, Commissioner Joshi’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Edwin, Kaba, and Lincoln-Goldfinch were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding revisions to Austin Police Department’s U-Visa Policy by Lieutenant Robert Smith, Special Victims Bureau, Austin Police Department and Assistant Chief Angie Jones, Austin Police Department. 1 Commission on Immigrant Affairs Meeting Minutes August 4, 2025 Staff briefing was made by Lieutenant Robert Smith, Special Victims Bureau, Austin Police Department and Assistant Chief Angie Jones, Austin Police Department. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Discussion regarding the Travis County Commissioner’s Court vacancy. This item was taken up with item 14. Update on the most recent Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting held in July 2025, as it relates to the Commission on Immigrant Affairs. Discussed. Update regarding the discussion during the July LGBTQ Quality-of-Life Advisory Commission Meeting about Immigrant Affairs. Discussed. Discussion regarding the written update on the Naturalization Informational Sessions and Clinics provided by Shafina Khaki, Human Rights Officer, Office of Equity and Inclusion. Discussed. Discussion regarding the written update on the Immigrant Quality-of-Life Study provided by Dr. Lindsey Wilson, Director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion. Discussed. Discussion regarding the new structure for requesting updates from the Office of Equity and Inclusion. Discussed. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 9. 10. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding the staffing support of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs. The motion to approve a Recommendation to Council regarding the staffing support of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs was approved on Commissioner Johnson’s motion, Vice Chair Dorantes’ second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Edwin, Joshi, Kaba, and Lincoln-Goldfinch were absent. Approve the election of Chair. The motion to elect Vice Chair Dorantes as Chair was approved on Commissioner Johnson’s motion, Commissioner Saucedo’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Edwin, Joshi, Kaba, and Lincoln-Goldfinch were absent. 2 Commission on Immigrant Affairs Meeting Minutes August 4, 2025 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Approve the election of Vice Chair. The motion to elect Commissioner Johnson as Vice Chair was approved on Chair Ortega’s motion, Commissioner De La Rosa’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Edwin, Joshi, Kaba, and Lincoln-Goldfinch were absent. Approve the appointment of Joint Inclusion Committee primary representative and alternate representative. The motion to approve Vice Chair Dorantes as primary JIC representative was approved on Chair Ortega’s motion, Commissioner Johnson’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Edwin, Joshi, Kaba, and Lincoln-Goldfinch were absent. The motion to approve Commissioner Kanawati as the alternate JIC representative was approved on Vice Chair Dorantes’ motion, Chair Ortega’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Edwin, Joshi, Kaba, and Lincoln-Goldfinch were absent. Approve the creation of a Working Group that prepares statements for commissioners to use when representing the commission. There was no action taken on this item. Approve the language of a letter to the Travis County Commissioner’s Court regarding the almost three-year vacancy. The motion to approve Commissioner Johnson’s amendment to the Travis County Commissioner’s Court was approved on Vice Chair Dorantes’ motion, Commissioner Kanawati’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Edwin, Joshi, Kaba, and Lincoln-Goldfinch were absent. The amendment was to strike “at the latest, to start the process by August 31st”. Approve the amendments to Article 3 section A of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs bylaws regarding membership as proposed by the Audit and Finance Committee. The motion to decline the amendment to Article 3 section A of the Commission on Immigrant Affairs bylaws regarding membership as proposed by the Audit and Finance Committee was approved on Commissioner Saucedo’s motion, Vice Chair Dorantes’ second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Edwin, Joshi, Kaba, and Lincoln- Goldfinch were absent. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 16. Update from the Quality-of-Life Working Group regarding the Quality-of-Life Study Budget Recommendation approved at the June Commission on Immigrant Affairs meeting. Withdrawn. 17. Update from the Budget Working Group regarding June and July meetings. Update was given by Chair Ortega. 3 Commission on Immigrant Affairs Meeting Minutes August 4, 2025 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Review the draft letter to the LGBTQ Quality-of-Life Commission. Language Access Briefing The meeting was adjourned without objection at 8:35pm by Chair Ortega. The minutes were approved at the XX meeting on XX motion, XX second on a XX vote. 4