Since drafting the ordinance in June, The Resistance Center has worked on introducing the Welcoming Community Trust ordinance into the Springfield City Council. On Monday, December 17, the ordinance faced its 3rd and final reading – and passed with a margin of 10-3. As expected, it was vetoed by Mayor Sarno. However, earlier this January the veto was overridden by the City Council and placed into immediate effect.

This ordinance continues the work we began in 2011, when then-Springfield City Councilor

The Welcoming Community Trust ordinance enshrines a number of common-sense protections for residents in Springfield, including (but not limited to:)

• Ensuring a person’s immigration status doesn’t prevent them from receiving emergency services, educational services, reporting housing violations, and other rights.
  
• Non-criminal offenses (including most immigration offenses) will not be the responsibility of city employees, including the police.
• Churches, hospitals, schools, and other institutions of faith, medicine, and education can no longer be targeted by city politicians.
• Affirming participation by the city in programs that benefit all residents, like the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), U- and T-VISA programs (which protect witnesses and victims of crime.)
  

If you are interested in joining TRC’s Migration Advocacy Committee, please contact us!