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Rules Committee forwards Immigrant Rights Commission reappointments after remarks on sanctuary policy and federal immigration actions
Summary
The Rules Committee forwarded reappointments of Mario Paz (with a residency waiver), Celine Kennelly and Nima Rahimi to the full Board with positive recommendations on Nov. 9, 2020; speakers used the moment to criticize recent federal immigration policies and highlight planned commission work on DACA, ICE treatment and Proposition C.
The San Francisco Rules Committee on Nov. 9, 2020 voted to forward three reappointments to the Immigrant Rights Commission to the full Board with positive recommendations.
Chair Supervisor Hillary Ronan moved to forward Mario Paz (with a residency waiver), Celine Kennelly and Nima Rahimi to the Immigrant Rights Commission. The committee recorded aye votes and the motion passed without objection.
Mario Paz spoke in support of continued local immigrant-rights work and criticized federal policies, saying the city had "witnessed inhumanity at the borders" and the separation of children from parents. Paz urged the commission to help reimagine systems affecting immigrants and to continue San Francisco's sanctuary policy.
Celine Kennelly, describing more than a decade on the commission, cited work on language access, the sanctuary ordinance and special hearings on DACA and on ICE treatment of detained immigrants. She said the commission has partnered with other city offices to increase accessibility and planned additional hearings and a racial equity working group tied to a recent Board resolution.
Nima Rahimi recounted past work advising immigrant communities — including on the impacts of travel bans and assistance to Yemeni residents — and noted his involvement in a commission resolution supporting Proposition C. Rahimi identified his background as an attorney with experience in employment, labor and immigration law and said the commission is positioned to inform the city’s response under a new federal administration.
Committee members and commissioners emphasized the commission’s ongoing role in monitoring federal policy impacts on local immigrant communities. The nominations will next be considered by the full Board of Supervisors.
