HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2020.09.23 - 33682MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #20388
BY: Commissioners William Miller, District #14; Kristen Nelson, District #5; Marcia Gershenson, District
#13
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — URGING CONGRESS TO TAKE ACTION ON THE DEFERRED
REMOVAL FOR IRAQI NATIONALS INCLUDING MINORITIES ACT
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS Iraqi nationals came to the United States under varying circumstances, many as refugees who
are now lawful permanent residents; and
WHEREAS these Iraqis with longstanding removal orders —who have deep roots, family, and employment
ties here — share one key commonality: they deserve to be fully and fairly considered on an individualized
immigration hearing, case-by-case basis; and
WHEREAS the Trump administration should not detain or deport them as a monolith; and
WHEREAS before President Donald Trump took office they were allowed to stay, but the Trump
administration has sought to remove them after striking a deal with Iraq to take them back; and
WHEREAS Iraqis with longstanding removal orders are reopening and winning their cases because, in fact,
removal to Iraq is extremely dangerous; and
WHEREAS they can only plead their case if they can access the immigration court system in the first place;
and
WHEREAS in April 2019, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the roughly 1,000 Iraqi nationals
with longstanding removal orders are no longer protected from deportation if an immigration court has not
heard their case; and
WHEREAS numerous Iraqi nationals, including many Chaldean Christians, could face persecution for their
religion, their ethnicity, or their ties to America if they are forced back to Iraq against their will; and
WHEREAS on May 7, 2019, U.S. Representatives Andy Levin (D-Michigan) and John Moolenaar (R-
Michigan introduced H.R. 2537 - the Deferred Removal for Iraqi Nationals Including Minorities Act, which
would grant two years of relief from detainment and deportation for Iraqi nationals who have orders for
removal; and
WHEREAS the bipartisan bill is cosponsored by 30 U.S. Representatives including Representatives Jack
Bergman, Bill Huizenga, Justin Amash, Daniel Kildee, Fred Upton, Tim Walberg, Elissa Slotkin, Haley
Stevens, Debbie Dingell, Rashida Tlaib and Brenda Lawrence from Michigan delegation; and
WHEREAS the bill defers removal for 24 months for Iraqi nationals who have been ordered removed at any
time prior to the bill's enactment and who resided in the United States on or before Jan. 1, 2014; and
WHEREAS the legislation excludes those who pose a threat to national security, are returning voluntarily,
or are subject to extradition; and
WHEREAS because of Congress' inaction on this legislation, a 41-year old, who suffered from mental
health issues was deported to Iraq in June of this year, died on August 6th, according to the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU) and U.S. Representative Andy Levin (MI-9); and
WHEREAS after being deported on June 2nd, he struggled as a homeless man on the streets of Najaf and
Baghdad to find the insulin he needed for his diabetic condition; and
WHEREAS the ACLU of Michigan claims he, died in part from not having access to quality healthcare; and
WHEREAS for the past two years, Iraqi-American Christian leaders in Michigan have said that deporting
Chaldeans back to Iraq would be a virtual death sentence; and
WHEREAS the battle over the fate of this immigrant group has played out in Michigan, a state that President
Trump won in 2016 and many in the Chaldean community supported his candidacy; and
WHEREAS he spent most of his life in the United States, but was deported in President Donald Trump's
intensified immigration enforcement efforts; and
WHEREAS if deportation efforts continue by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE), more people's
lives can be at risk.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby urges
the U.S. Congress to take action on H.R. 2537 - the Deferred Removal for Iraqi Nationals Including
Minorities Act.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners is gravely concerned for
the safety of these valuable members of our communities.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to forward
copies of the adopted resolution to the U.S. President and the U.S. Senate Majority and Minority Leaders,
and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
Commissioner William Miller
District #14
Comm IMarcia Gers
District #13
Y,o;XA N44e4
• V
Commissioner Kristen Nelson
District #5
Commissioner
District #
Resolution #20388
September 3, 2020
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Health Safety and Human Services Committee. There were
no objections.
Resolution #20388 September 23, 2020
Moved by Luebs seconded by Gershenson the resolutions on the amended Consent Agenda be adopted.
AYES: Gingell, Hoffman, Jackson, Kochenderfer, Kowall, Kuhn, Long, Luebs, Markham,
McGillivray, Middleton, Miller, Nelson, Powell, Quarles, Spisz, Taub, Weipert, Woodward, Zack,
Gershenson. (21)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolutions on the amended Consent Agenda were adopted.
Q,
I HEREBYAPPROVETHIS AESOLtTi IO7`
CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUT61F
ACTING PURSUANTTO MGL 45,559A (7)
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on September 23,
2020, with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at Pontiac,
Michigan this 231d day of September, 2020. _
Lisa Brown, Oakland County