ROCKLAND – An ordinance prohibiting involvement in immigration enforcement operations, and an ordinance allowing a Student Representative to serve on Rockland City Council are two of the items coming up on the November Council meeting agenda, to be introduced at the Agenda-Setting meeting on November 3, and approved or denied for further consideration at the November 10 regular meeting.

#53 Chapter 2, Article XIII Immigration Enforcement

An amendment to the City’s Administration Ordinance to prohibit any City employee, acting in their capacity as such, to assist or cooperate with, or allow any municipal monies or resources to be used to assist, cooperate with, or facilitate any federal agency in any immigration enforcement operation, except where legally required to do so by state or federal law or court order.

In a new round of Council discussions regarding Rockland PD’s potential involvement in immigration enforcement (see our June article here) a new ordinance sponsored by Councilor Callahan returns to the table with language pertaining to proposed policy on assisting ICE or any agency acting as an agent to immigration.

Clarifying a disclaimer statement of “Unless presented with a valid and properly issued judicial warrant or as part of a Rockland Police Department investigation of serious crime” clause, some of the proposed ordinance language stipulates the following:

Under the ordinance, no City employee or department shall grant any federal agency access to any City-owned facility for an immigration enforcement operation. The City employee or representative shall not support or assist any federal agency in immigration enforcement operations, including requests to 1) provide information such as contact information, custody status, home or work address, except as provided under Section B5 of this ordinance; 2) investigate or interrogate people in relation to immigration enforcement operations; and 3) to otherwise be present or support immigration enforcement operations...

Furthermore, no City employee shall stop, arrest, or detain an individual as part of an immigration enforcement operation or upon suspicion that the individual is in the country illegally. If a person is detained, the City employee shall not permit an immigration agent access to the person being detained or in custody.

As stated in the meeting packet, “Rockland is a community known for welcoming people of all races, religions, national origins, sexual orientations, and gender identities. Rockland’s local economy is driven by this diversity and it should be both celebrated and protected by local ordinances.”

Find the exact wording in the attachment at the bottom of this article, Section 53, Chapter 2

#56 Ch. 2, Sec. 2-213 Student Member, Sponsor City Council, Councilor Callahan

An amendment to the City’s Administration Ordinance that would allow the City Council to appoint a student from Oceanside High School as a non-voting student representative on the City Council. Students who reside in Rockland will be given priority.

The student will be appointed by the Council on the recommendation of the City Manager, who will solicit recommendations from the school district’s superintendent.

Each Student Representative will serve a term of one year, though a student may serve multiple terms.

Each Student Representative shall attend all regular meetings of City Council, and shall attend Agenda-Setting meetings as available, and will be permitted to leave if the meeting extends too late into the evening.

Find the exact wording in the attachment at the bottom of this article, Section 56, Chapter 2

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com