ALERT! PBC Commissioners to Vote on Resolution Supporting Obama's Immigration Executive Order


What: Resolution in Support of President Obama’s Executive Order on Immigration
When: Tuesday, November 3 at 5pm
Where: 301 N Olive 6th Fl, West Palm Beach

On the agenda for the PBC Board of County Commissioners’ infrequent evening meeting on 11/3 is agenda item 4A-2, requested by the Commissioners, in support of President Obama’s Executive Order on Immmigration. The item reads:

Resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Palm Beach County, Florida, supporting President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration reform expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) programs; and requesting that Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi withdraw the State of Florida from Texas v. United States (United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit). SUMMARY: The Board has requested that a resolution supporting President Obama’s executive action expanding DACA and DAPA and urging that Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi withdraw the state from Texas v. United States be drafted and brought back for discussion. Miami-Dade County has passed a similar resolution, as has the City of Kissimmee. Twenty-six states, including Florida, have signed onto a lawsuit – Texas v. United States – seeking to block the President’s executive actions. At least 76 cities and counties throughout the country, such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and the counties of Dallas and Los Angeles, have signed onto an amicus brief opposing the lawsuit and supporting the President’s executive action. In Florida, Tampa and North Miami have joined the brief. Countywide (DW)

You can see the Agenda Item in it’s entirety here and the entire agenda here.

I know that this is a subject very important to many of you. Please make the Commission aware of your positions – either by attending the meeting and speaking out, emailing the Commission at BCC-AllCommissioners@pbcgov.org and by making your friends and organizations aware.

My personal position is that the Board of County Commissioners does not have the right to speak for me on State or National issues. They should focus on their own local responsibilities and there sure are enough of those issues. The motivations of those on the Commission running for national office would make their positions suspect as well. The resolution’s claims that President Obama’s Executive Order makes good financial sense for the County is ludicrous at best. I will encourage them to VOTE NO on this resolution and withdraw it from further consideration.