Isabel Ortega Romero recommends independent sanctuary oversight and TPS support
Isabel Ortega Romero recommends forming an independent commission to audit and enforce sanctuary compliance, drafting penalties for violations, and creating disciplinary procedures. She also says Borough President Reynoso strongly supports Resolution 626 and S.4814 for Haiti TPS.
For these reasons, we recommend the following.
Form an independent commission to audit, monitor, and enforce compliance with sanctuary city laws.
This commission would conduct quarterly audits to thoroughly examine noncompliance and misconduct and would hold city agencies accountable for violations.
Draft legislation creating penalties for violations of sanctuary city laws.
Recommendations are not enough to ensure that agencies will abide by the law.
City Council should establish mandatory disciplinary action, fines, procedures for removing officers, employees, and agency leadership, and other enforcement mechanisms for repeat violations.
The intent of these recommendations is to ensure that city agencies abide by city law designed to protect the safety and rights of all New Yorkers regardless of national origin.
We can only prevent federal outreach by ensuring local agencies abide by the law.
Lastly, Borough President Reynoso's
strongly supports Resolution 626, which requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for temporary protected status.
We hope that S-4814 passes so that our Haitian community can access health care, education, and employment without legal risk.
Thank you again for holding this hearing today.
We look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure that city government advances justice, promotes public trust, and honors the laws that protect immigrants who call this city home.
Thank you.