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Students and immigrant advocates press council for MENA inclusion, stronger local immigrant protections; Leon to agendize AB 91 and welcoming-city reaffirmation
Summary
Youth organizers, community groups and immigrant‑serving organizations urged the council to strengthen Anaheim's welcoming‑city protections and to support AB 91 (MENA Inclusion Act); Council Member Leon asked to agendize a resolution backing AB 91 and to reaffirm the city's welcoming‑city status.
Young organizers with the OC Youth Movement, representatives from the Arab American Civic Council and CARE LA, and other community speakers used the council's public‑comment period to seek stronger local protections for immigrants and formal recognition for Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) residents.
Speakers asked the city to strengthen the Welcome Anaheim ordinance, explicitly prohibit local-law-enforcement cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and host “know your rights” workshops online. Youth organizers Yael Camposano, Cassandra Garcia and Haley Sotelo described fear among immigrant families and asked the council to publicly back immigrant protections and to keep the city's Welcome Anaheim web resources updated.
Representatives from Arab American Civic Council (Amin Nash and Aya Bazzizzi) and CARE LA urged the council to support AB 91, the MENA Inclusion Act, which would add Middle Eastern and North African categories to demographic data collection at the state level. Speakers said that lack of state-level recognition leaves MENA communities “invisible” in health, education and services data and hampers resource allocation.
Council Member Carlos de Leon (Leon) asked that the council agendize a resolution in support of AB 91 and to reaffirm Anaheim’s status as a welcoming city, including clearer public information about what that status means. Mayor Ashley Aiken and other council members spoke from the dais about existing efforts: the city has updated the Welcome Anaheim website and offered printed know‑your‑rights materials. Aiken offered to meet with student organizers to discuss specific changes and thanked them for their advocacy.
No ordinance or resolution was adopted at the meeting; Leon requested the item be placed on a future agenda for council consideration. Community advocates asked the council to pair any statement with practical measures, including workshops and clear non‑cooperation language in city policies.
