Campos invites Newsom to support due process for all youthText and images by Sarah Phelan
Sup. David Campos addresses the crowd before introducing legislation to restore due process to undocumented youth.
Yesterday's rally at City Hall in support of Sup. David Campos' resolution to restore due process to immigrant youth was a who's who of all the movers and shakers within the local immigrant reform community.
Members of Mujeres Unidas y Activas led the crowd in chants of "Si se puede!"
Dozens of community groups, half a dozen supervisors, a representative for Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, Mission High school teacher Derrylyn Tom,, Kate Kendall of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Patti Lee of the Public Defender's office, Ana Perez of the Central American Resource Center, Lateefah Simon of the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights, Tim Paulson of the San Francisco Labor Council and Rev. Charles Kullmann of the SF Interfaith Coalition were in attendance, to name a few of the hundreds who showed up.
Board President David Chiu told the crowd that the city needs to "strike the right balance" and ensure public safety and the rights of immigrants.
Noticeably absent were Mayor Gavin Newsom and Sups. Carmen Chu, Sean Elsbernd and Michela Alioto-Pier, none of whom have signed on in support of Campos' resolution to date. And it seemed like a missed opportunity for Newsom, who needs all the support he can get if he is going to have a chance of winning the governor's race.
Ana Perez of the Central American Resource Center told the crowd that soon after Newsom's revised sanctuary policy was implemented last summer, 50 prominent Latino leaders sent Newsom a letter asking him to amend the policy so that immigrant youth would be guaranteed due process.
"California has always been a leader on social issues," Perez said, as she thanked Campos and the seven other supervisors who are co-sponsoring his resolution to restore due process. " We have been dismayed by San Francisco's decision and its current policy which destroys families."
Sup. Ross Mirkarimi stated his opinion that San Francisco is "skating on thin ice" with its current policy."
Sup. Eric Mar said, "It's important to counter the racism found in every day media."
Indeed, with eight members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors loudly articulating their support for his resolution, Campos is hopeful that Newsom will take a look at his proposal and come out in its support.
One of the youngest participant at yesterday's rally wasn't afraid to speak out in support of due process for all.
"This press conference and the legislation I am proposing is not about attacking or criticizing Mayor Gavin Newsom," Sup. Campos told the crowd.
"I hope he will look at this proposal and see it for what it is: a balanced and measured process grounded on the values of San Francisco," added Campos, who came to this country at age 14 as an undocumented youth from Guatemala.
Campos' proposal allows referrals of immigrant youth to federal authorities only if a youth is found by a juvenile court to have committed an alleged felony offense.
As such, it does not seek to revert to San Francisco's original sanctuary city policy, in which no youth were referred to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE) even when there was misconduct.
Instead, Campos seeks to reform a policy that Newsom ordered and the Juvenile Probation Department implemented last summer.
Newsom's policy shift allowed juvenile probation officers to refer youth to ICE immediately after their arrest, based merely on accusations of wrongdoing and before the youth had a chance to appear in juvenile court and contest such allegations. Since then an estimated 190 immigrant youth have been referred to ICE for deportation.
"I am proud of Sup. David Campos for his courage, political will and astounding perserverance," Sup. John Avalos said. "The policy that was introduced last year only produced a semblance of public safety. It caved into the politics of intolerance, it was not in line with the city of Saint Francis. A veto-proof majority has made sure this legislation passes. Young people deserve better."
Mission High teacher Derrlyn Tom said she shouldn't be going back to school in fear and dread of the current policy.
"My students will not want to go to school of the know I am a conduit to them getting deported," Tom said, explaining how, under Newsom's current policy, if a teacher alerts the police when a juvenile misbehaves, and that juvenile is undocumented, then the juvenile risks getting referred to ICE and deported.
SFUSD board member Sandy Fewer told the crowd that as the parent of a 17-year old child, she wouldn't want the fate of her family to depend on the behavior of her teenager.
"Legislation that threatens the livelihoods of families is counterproductive," Fewer said, referring to the fact that when immigrant youth are deported, they are often torn from the protective mantle of their family.
This mother (in hat on left) of a recently detained youth told the crowd that she represents families who have been destroyed by Mayor Gavin Newsom's policy.
"Look into your heart," the mother said, through translator Bobbi Lopez, "and don't take away our dreams and what little life we have."
According to Angela Chan of the Asian Law Caucus, the mother's son has bipolar disorder, was detained at Juvenile Hall for six months and was then released to ICE this Monday.
'The mother says she will fight to the end for her son," Chan said.
Patricia Lee of the Public Defender's Office said, "San Francisco does not need to be known as Guantonomo Bay West."
Kate Kendall of the National Center of Lesbian Rights reminded the crowd that many folks come to this country to escape persecution in their native land, only to be met with it here.
"NCLR represents immigrants who come to this country after suffering persecution ion their own country," Kendall said, recalling how if any of her adult clients fall into ICE's hands, they find it impossible to advocate for themselves.
'To imagine that happening to youth is appalling, wrong and needs to be changed," Kendall said.
"Thanks for representing what is the best of San Francisco," Sup. Chris Daly told the crowd, as he lambasted the Chronicle for its coverage of the sanctuary issue last summer. "Never again will we let the Chronicle speak for us again," Daly said.
Lateefah Simon, executive director of Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights (on right) perhaps summed it up best when she asked the crowd, "Are we a city of prosecutors with no souls?"
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Comments (15)
I have a modest proposal. Make it city law that if any piece of legislation requires the City Attorney's office to spend more than $250,000 defending it in any state, local or federal court then the amount over $250,000, dollar per dollar, will be deducted from the operating budget of the supervisor(s) who authored and sponsored the legislation.
I guarantee you this floor of illegal and unconstitutional legislation would come to a screeching halt.
Sanctuary legislation was passed to protect refugees fleeing the repressive governments which existed at the time, like those in El Salvador, Chile and Honduras. It was NOT designed to serve as a blanket law allowing the city to ignore state and federal laws in the case of every person who wanted to come to the US for any reason and did so illegally .
Posted by Lucretia Snapples | August 19, 2009 05:31 PM
hey here's an idea - maybe people here illegally should not commit crimes? naw better to coddle the little dears so Campos who cares more about MS 13 than law abiding immigrants can collect more campaign donations. Oh wait, Campos is an illegal immigrant so it makes sense. Gotta get more voters registered, right, assholes?
Posted by pathetic loser | August 19, 2009 06:08 PM
The sad thing is you don't care if they are guilty of a crime.
Can't wait till Obama tackles illegal immigration, it will be more fun than healthcare reform.
Posted by Ken | August 19, 2009 06:31 PM
I have had a few drinks saw this and thought why not give some s**t
As Daly says. "Never again will we let the Chronicle speak for us again"
You are so right, surely it's the Fairfield Daily Republic that speaks for Mr Daly.
Do the right thing Daly, be with your family they want you SF doesn't.
Posted by Chris Pratt | August 19, 2009 07:58 PM
As the DA can drop charges from felony to Misdemeanor and as our DA is also a progressive air head, all illegal aliens will just be charged for a lesser crime or have charges dropped to suit the PC world view.
I would love to see a legal citizen sue the shit out of our useless DA and city for racism when illegal aliens go about their business of mayhem while legal citizens go to jail for the same crime.
I sure hope I can be on the Bologna jury, I would double whatever they were asking for.
We citizens are here to be experimented on like lab rats by the progressives.
Posted by glen matlock | August 19, 2009 09:25 PM
Campos is a lawyer and doesn't seem to understand what due process is either. Nice high talk buzz word for the talking point crowd.
Posted by glen matlock | August 19, 2009 10:03 PM
Why is Patti Lee of the Public Defenders Office using S.F. Taxpayer time to speak on this issue during business hours?
Posted by nick lewis | August 19, 2009 10:30 PM
Great article! Thanks for reporting the truth, unlike the SF Chronicle, which is garbage. And to all those who are spewing racist, xenophobic hate from behind a white sheet in Alabama. Stay out of San Francisco. We love gay marriage, immigrants, keeping families together, and value due process. You spend your life hating on anyone who is not white. That's your problem, not ours.
Posted by Ken Jones | August 19, 2009 10:55 PM
Bravo for covering the immigrant youth issue with accuracy and depth! SF should be proud of its 20 years as a City of Refuge. All those who hate on this beautiful history should find another city to live in, preferably a backwards, homogenous one where you can marry your cousin and waive confederate flags.
Posted by Carol Wright | August 20, 2009 12:35 AM
Oh Ken and Carol, such fine examples of SF values, agree with us or leave.
Ken, there is no due process for a misdemeanor, which being an illegal alien is. Do you call a late term abortion a "partial birth abortion" like right wingers who also destroy language do?
Carol, the history is based in people fleeing war's in Central America. SF and other cities who did that had a good idea there. The wars are over now.
I would like to thank you two for showing what are the actual progressive San Francisco values, strawman arguments, free association ranting, new speak ravings and cherry picking history.
Posted by glen matlock | August 20, 2009 03:30 PM
Excuse me Glen, did you graduate high school? There are still wars occurring in Central America now. Are you kidding me that you could be this ignorant? I'm embarrassed for you.
Also, what city do you live in Glen? I doubt you live in SF.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2009/08/if_chron_is_really_gauging_pub.php
Posted by John Keller | August 20, 2009 03:52 PM
Oh dear John, I'm sorry I have been ruining your little eden for 19 years. How old were you 19 years ago? 2? If only I could really carpet bagger it up some for you.
Oddly when I go to bars on the west side of Eden I hear a lot of bitching about you entitled dreamers.
I though that you were going to school me after that graduating high school comment. Alas, there is no war in Mexico, there is some trouble down south there though, in general no war. So whats the excuse there bro? Sadly for you none of these people are claiming to be escaping a war. And the latest thing in Honduras is only a few months old, don't know how you can post hoc that one?
John I know that you're probably primal screaming at this point in my post but let me point out, I went to protest's in my hometown against Reagan and his crazy antics back then. In the hometown being opposed to Reagan and his wars wasn't like being a SF whiner carpetbagger dreamer, very unpopular stance back in the day. But you self appointed know best I suppose.
Just had some beers at a hole in the wall west side bar a few weeks ago with a friend, talked about carpet bagger Daly. Old timers were proud of the sanctuary city business from the 80's, not so proud of the crime enabling carpet bag syndrome these days though. Very bitter about you little monsters.
I have always considered myself more of a libertarian but let me suggest, being a real liberal isn't just being a mindless ape.
Posted by glen matlock | August 20, 2009 05:52 PM
I am sorry for all my ignorant comments. I am ractist and uneducated. I learned more about the proposed policy, and now agree with it. Keep families and youth together! Value immigrants and the Sanctuary Ordinance. Please pay no more attention to any of my comments for I know nothing.
Sincerely,
Glen
Posted by Glen Matlock | August 21, 2009 01:08 AM
AHA!!!
Apology accepted. It's a long strange trip down that winding road to Damascus.
Posted by patrick monk | August 21, 2009 07:47 AM
RE: "Glen Matlock" -- please let's not resort to those kinds of sock-puppet shenanigans, folks. We welcome spirited debate here, no matter how much we disagree. Keep it constructive, please.
-- Your Web Master
Posted by Marke B. | August 21, 2009 10:24 AM