‘What we are talking about is treating our residents like human beings and with some respect’
Lake Worth Beach mayor, responding to activists' pressure, proposes sending a letter of concern to immigration enforcement agencies
The Lake Worth Beach City Commission next month will consider sending a letter to immigration enforcement agencies expressing concerns about how their policies are affecting city residents.
Mayor Betty Resch broached the idea at the start of Tuesday night’s City Commission meeting in response to outcry from activists and residents who have demanded the city take a stance on what they describe as overly-aggressive immigration raids that are tearing families apart.
Any formal letter from Lake Worth Beach will acknowledge the city’s respect for state and federal policies, Resch said.
“However, I think what we are talking about is treating our residents like human beings and with some respect,’’ she said. “We’re asking for some acknowledgement of the effect it’s having on most of our children and our local residents.’’
The mayor also read from a draft she said she had written with help from Mariana Blanco of the Guatemalan Maya Center, a non-profit that serves people directly affected by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Lake Worth Beach.
