The councilwoman for the city of Asheville, Kim Roney , presented an initiative that seeks to establish limits on the use of municipal facilities by federal agents.
More than 40 religious leaders, educators, business owners, and residents gathered in Land of Sky United Church of Christ to support the proposal, which aims to prevent community centers, parking lots, and parks from being used as footholds for actions by ICE and the Border Patrol.
Its eventual consideration will depend on whether the measure achieves the necessary consensus to be included on the agenda of the City Council, which meets tonight. As of the time of publication of this article, it had not yet been included.
The initiative was presented yesterday at a press conference that took place after a weekend of uncertainty in Asheville, where rumors circulated about a possible Border Patrol presence that no authority was able to confirm.
Related: Border Patrol arrives in Raleigh tomorrow
What does the initiative propose?
The resolution It proposes that community centers, parking lots, parks, and Parks and Recreation facilities cannot be used as footholds for ICE or Border Patrol actions. .
It also requests that the city of Asheville provide standardized signage for private property owners who wish to restrict this type of activity on their land, and that city departments have "know your rights" materials available for employees, tenants, and security personnel.
Roney stated that the enforcement of immigration laws “is not a criminal matter, but a civil one.” During his remarks, he called on the community to support the proposal so that it can be considered by local authorities.
“The request is that we approve these resolutions at our city and county meetings, and we ask that the community join our City Council and our County Board in passing these resolutions,” he said.
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The call from faith communities
The interventions of religious leaders marked a significant part of the meeting. Pastor Sara Wilcox, of Land of Sky United Church of Christ and host of the event, called on local authorities to alleviate the fear experienced by immigrant families regarding potential federal actions.
“We urge our city and county governments to work for us, for all of us, and to limit any support for extralegal government behavior that diminishes the safety and quality of life of our entire community,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Reverend Claudia Jiménez, a Latina and daughter of immigrant parents, focused her message on how criminalization affects families who live and work in the region.
“We are not violent criminals. We don’t break the law. We are your neighbors,” he said.
He added that many immigrant families sustain the city's economic and daily life and warned, "A country that criminalizes Black and Latino bodies when it suits it and welcomes them when it needs their labor is not a country we can support."
Related: Protests against the Border Patrol in North Carolina
Disagreements in the City Council
The press conference, however, did not include the participation of other members of the Asheville City Council. Councilman Bo Hess , who stated that he was not invited, released a statement in which he put forward a different position on how the city should act at this time: .
“Like the first Latino elected "In western North Carolina, and only the second in the entire state, I carry a deep responsibility to stand with our immigrant families and advocate for their safety," Hess said.
However, Roney stated that all members of the Council, along with the county commissioners and school boards, had been notified of the event.
According to Hess, “any policy on the use of municipal property must be built with the direct participation of the affected communities.”
However, he ultimately expressed openness to discussing enforceable mechanisms if the city decides to move forward: “If our city seeks to establish clear expectations and real safeguards, we have to be prepared to consider an ordinance.”
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A debate that is still open
The resolution now depends on whether it manages to gather the necessary support to join the City Council agendaIf that happens, it could be debated in the session this Tuesday, November 18.
Its treatment will depend on whether it gathers the necessary consensus to be incorporated, which requires the approval of the mayor and the city administrator, or a formal request signed by at least three councilors.
In this sense, both Roney, like religious leaders Those present urged the community to contact the City Council to express their support for the initiative.
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