AURORA | After a heated city council meeting discussion Monday, the Aurora City Council ultimately passed a resolution reaffirming the city’s support for its documented immigrant community.
The resolution comes on the eve of a new Trump administration after months of threats by the president-elect to begin mass-deportations — starting with Aurora — when he takes office Jan. 20.
The resolution passed 9-1 with Councilmember Stephanie Hancock objecting. Councilmember Curtis Gardner was absent.
Councilmember Alison Coombs, the sponsor of the resolution, emphasized the importance of the measure,
“In light of the amount of fear and concern that has happened in our community, for immigrants in our community, and concerns about potential deportation, as well as rhetoric that does not fully value the contributions of all of our immigrants in the city of Aurora, we do affirm, as a city, our valuing and supporting of those members of our community and their contributions to the community.”
Of greatest concern for Coombs and other supporters are threats by Trump and some congressional Republicans to revoke a host of temporary immigration statuses affecting tens of thousands of immigrants in Aurora.
El Salvador immigrants approved for Temporary Protective Status and so-called “DACA DREAMers” — children of immigrants not born in the United States but who have lived here for much or most of their lives — could be at risk.
A bevy of immigrants, including Venezuela, enjoy some variation of temporary status, according to state and local immigration officials.
Last week, President Joe Biden by executive order extended such protective statuses for Venezuelan and El Salvador immigrants. It’s unclear whether Trump could, or would, reverse the 18-month extensions when he takes office.
The city council debate featured sharp disagreements over the resolution’s potential impact, and its potential mis-alignment with Trump’s threatened federal immigration enforcement.
Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky criticized the resolution, saying it was just “virtue signaling” and has no real impact.
Mayor Michael Coffman pushed back, saying the resolution will tell documented immigrants that the city stands behind ensuring that temporary statuses, enjoyed by tens of thousands of local immigrants, are not reversed.
Jurinsky said she supports only the deportation of criminal immigrants. Jurinsky has found herself at the center of national controversy, appearing numerous times on right-wing TV shows promoting “Operation Aurora,” Trump’s name for mass deportations. She has repeated claims that areas of Aurora are “overrun” by Venezuelan gang members, a claim repeated frequently by Trump.
Council members Jurinsky and Françoise Bergan also raised legal concerns about potential federal law requiring local authorities to cooperate with immigration enforcement. Bergan questioned whether supporting the resolution might put council members at risk of arrest by federal officials for interfering with deportations.
“No,” Aurora City Attorney Pete Schulte said.
Coombs said, however, that the resolution was an important statement of support for the city’s immigrant residents who are fearful of the imminent Trump administration’s new policies.
She emphasized that the words and actions of city leaders matter to those facing uncertainty.
“”There are a lot of people who are scared and who are worried and for whom saying yes, we support and value you is worth something, and the words that we say as leaders matter,” she said.
After a couple of amendments — including one ensuring that the resolution is not an attempt to defy federal officials — the council ultimately passed the measure. The approved version included language stating that the city will “not interfere with federal immigration law” and will cooperate with federal immigration authorities as permitted by state and federal statutes.
State law prohibits local law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration officials in efforts to arrest or detain immigrants suspected of being undocumented.
I’m sure Jurinsky going to Israel to pack lunches for the IDF had real impact, too. She’s just a bag of bad ideas with a mouth. One of the worst cancers Aurora has ever elected.
thank you thank you thank you, Karen
and why did hancock vote against this? kinda strange isn’t it?
I’ve got to echo what Karen wrote. At every opportunity, Jurinsky spews constant bile. It seems she stands for nothing positive. It is way past time for her to be defeated and to elect somone willing to work on real issues.
“Councilmember Alison Coombs, the sponsor of the resolution, emphasized the importance of the measure”
No problem with another progressive notion the city is here for you with immigration security only we as city leaders know how to make possible. These resolutions are symbolic and have little or no core legal value. For some, all this trendy ridiculous passionate phrasing, a few, will ill-advisedly buy into it. Why was this some priority with Aurora’s serious ongoing issues?
In the end this political gesturing and signaling -was nothing more than a worthless side-show. The real calvary is on the way.
I believe Hancock saw through the nonsense and voted no. Coombs’ resolution achieves nothing; it’s merely a sideshow designed to draw attention to herself without offering any real value. It’s time for the council to focus on the city’s business and address the real issues. Aurora is a city full of immigrants, and a resolution like this isn’t necessary.