Dallas

Dallas Takes Steps Toward Being a ‘Welcoming Community'

Research on Municipal ID's requested by Council Member

Dallas leaders this week are taking several steps forward as a “Welcoming Community” that might be controversial elsewhere in a time of concern over travel bans and sanctuary cities.

Wednesday, the city council unanimously approved a resolution condemning violence and hate speech and expressing solidarity with Muslims and all those targeted for their ethnicity, race or religion.

“The reason for highlighting our support for Muslims is because of the extraordinary attacks on Muslims that are going on throughout the country,” said Councilman Philip Kingston.

Other members agreed they want to send a message.

“I’m in the real estate business,” said Councilman Rickey Callahan. “I have clients, people of Muslim faith. Those people are not terrorists. We’ve got to make up our mind, there’s a big difference between what terrorism is and what people of faith are.”

Anita Zusman Eddy of the Dallas Jewish Community Relations Council spoke in favor of the resolution.

“If anything good can be seen as coming out of this environment today it’s that these groups, many of us, our individuals, our organizations, our communities are actually banding together and publicly and privately supporting each other,” she said.

In February when Dallas County passed a similar “Welcoming Community” resolution, Councilman Lee Kleinman spoke against it out of fear that Gov. Greg Abbott would label Dallas a sanctuary city and withhold funding as he had done with Travis County.

Kleinman voted in favor of the Dallas measure Wednesday.

Councilman Adam McGough raised the concern with City Attorney Larry Casto.

“Based on your legal analysis and as the City Attorney of the City of Dallas, are we currently a sanctuary city,” McGough asked.

Casto said Dallas does not refuse to cooperate with immigration requests.

“We are not, for that legal purpose, a sanctuary city,” said Casto.

This week new Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax announced creation of a new Office of Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs. The only employee for now is immigration attorney Liz Cedillo-Pereira.

She said her task is to promote economic opportunities and social connections that get immigrant residents more involved in civic affairs.

I don’t anticipate that we will be providing direct services, necessarily, but working with other groups, collaborating with faith based groups, community groups, educational institutions and businesses,” Cedillo-Pereira said. “We have about a quarter of our population who were born in another country and we think it’s a significant part of our community that needs to be fully embraced.”

Dallas Councilwoman Monica Alonzo said the size of the office could grow in Dallas city budget discussions later this year.

“We want to share with everyone that we are not only a city that is vibrant but also is very welcoming,” Alonzo said.

Alonzo has also asked the new office to investigate municipal ID cards for otherwise undocumented residents.

Alonzo said no other Texas city has issued such cards.

“It’s being researched and I look forward to hearing from her,” Alonzo said.

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