Proclaims March 21, 2017 Immigration Day of Action in the City of Providence
Mayor Jorge O. Elorza today joined Central Falls Mayor James Diossa, Council President Luis A. Aponte, Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven M. Pare, Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr., Year Up student Evelin Gonzalez, and community members at the Providence Public Safety Complex to proclaim March 21, 2017 Immigration Day of Action in the City of Providence. The press conference and proclamation signing is part of a nationwide effort by more than 60 mayors who are holding events to simultaneously demonstrate support for immigrants in their communities and emphasize support for comprehensive immigration reform.
“I am proud to join a coalition of over 60 mayors in 31 states to stand up and support our immigrant communities,” said Mayor Elorza. “Today, our country is great, not in spite of, but because of our immigrant heritage. As Mayor, I will continue to reassure our immigrant community that they are welcome and appreciated in our city, to support our Dreamers, and to work with my colleagues across the country to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform.”
As Co-Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Immigration Task Force, Mayor Elorza has led the nationwide effort along with his colleagues, Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. As U.S. Conference of Mayors leaders, the four mayors began the day by hosting a bipartisan press conference call with reporters to highlight the important role of cities in addressing the challenges created by a broken immigration system and what communities are doing to support foreign-born residents.
In their activities, mayors are stressing the vital contributions that immigrants make to their cities and the nation. Citing reports of potential benefits of comprehensive immigration reform, mayors are also urging Congress and the Administration to focus on common sense reforms for an immigration system that is efficient, effective and compassionate. This includes reports from the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy that immigration reform could inject $2.1 billion dollars in tax revenue into cities and states.
At the Conference’s Annual Winter Meeting in Washington in January, mayors adopted a resolution calling for enactment of bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform, the continuation of programs that protect the temporary status of Dreamers, and recognizing the social, economic and cultural contributions of immigrant communities nationwide.
Mayors are amplifying their message by using #MayorsStand4All across their social media platforms on March 21 and beyond.