Responding to community fears about federal immigration enforcement, Durango City Council reaffirmed its commitment to residents and their safety in a resolution this week.
The resolution said the city of Durango recognizes “the well-being and safety of all residents, including our immigrant neighbors, are integral to our local economy and cultural fabric” and Durango Police Department is committed to “building trust, protecting the vulnerable, and preventing crime.”
It builds upon 2004 and 2015 ordinances stating Durango is a home to immigrants and is not a sanctuary city and that all persons shall be treated with dignity and respect regardless of immigration status.
The resolution notes immigrants play a vital role in Durango’s and the state of Colorado’s economy, “holding 11.7% of jobs statewide and representing a higher labor force participation rate.” It said immigrants have “an estimated household spending power of $21.3 billion.”
The safety and well-being of immigrants, the resolution said, are integral to Durango’s economy as well as its cultural fabric.
Councilor Jessika Buell, who proposed the resolution, said she worked with the city manager’s and city attorney’s offices, the chief of police and people closely involved in the immigrant community to ensure the resolution’s language included immigrant voices and also didn’t risk federal funding streams.
“I spent a lot of time to try and make sure that it was supported by our community and a good first step,” Buell said.
Retaliatory or retributive action by the federal government in response to shows of support from Durango for its immigrant community has lingered over councilors at public meetings, where residents have asked councilors to take action in the face of controversial immigration enforcement conduct and tactics.
Councilors previously told The Durango Herald the freezing of federal funding and even increased immigration enforcement in Durango in response to full-throated support of immigrants or criticism of immigration agencies are real concerns.
On Tuesday, Councilor Kip Koso said municipal officials have little power and risk a lot, including, for example, federal transportation funding that, if cut, would hurt low-income and immigrant populations.
“I’m interested in doing things that keep 10 or 20 local families whose lives have already been shattered by the federal government from becoming 50 families that are torn apart by actions by ICE along with defunded transportation and other vital services,” he said. “I worry about escalation. That’s not a reason not to move forward, but when we do move forward, we should move forward with those concerns as part of the discussion.
City Attorney Mark Morgan said the resolution went as far as it could without giving him pause.
Residents who spoke in favor of the resolution on Tuesday made several requests: that the resolution be passed, that the city consult with and include immigrants in any similar future resolutions, and that the city create a task force to work with the immigrant community to identify ways the city can support it.
Buell said she envisions such a task force as helping the city craft future relevant resolutions. It would consist of, she proposed, representatives from the city manager’s and city attorney’s offices, a member of DPD, one or two members of the city Community & Cultural Relations Commission, and other individuals from organizations such as Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center.
cburney@durangoherald.com
