In November, 2014, President Obama announced that he was providing relief via executive order to millions of people currently living undocumented in the United States. Since then, some states have legally challenged the order. That challenge has now moved to the circuit court.
The mayors of New York and Los Angeles helped organize Cities United for Immigration Action in order to support the administration’s actions and provide amicus briefs for the circuit court to consider. Seventy three cities have signed on so far, including Denver, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and San Francisco. What brought this to my attention, however, are the cities closer to home that have signed on. Newark, my biggest local city (besides New York City, of course), plus Jersey City, where many of my classmates in high school lived (since our school was in the next town over from Jersey City). Also supporting CUIA is Hoboken, a fabulous town nestled on the Hudson and significant to me because I spent many a night hanging out and dancing there in my teens and twenties.
In other words, all the cool kids are supporting this action!
CUIA’s statement makes it clear why it just makes sense to provide immigration relief to millions, “executive action will benefit cities and counties by providing work authorization to millions, increasing local tax revenue, stimulating local economies, facilitating the civic engagement of immigrants, keeping families together, and improving public safety.”
Read more about cities’ support of the Obama Administration’s executive action for immigrants. Click here.