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Rules Committee backs multiple appointments to Immigrant Rights Commission amid concerns about housing and enforcement
Summary
The Rules Committee recommended appointments and residency waivers to the Immigrant Rights Commission, with applicants and witnesses stressing threats to undocumented residents, the need for language access and housing solutions, and the commission's role in coordinating advocacy and rapid response.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee on June 28 recommended several appointments to the Immigrant Rights Commission and requested residency waivers where noted, forwarding the slate to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
Applicants who appeared described the commission’s heightened importance amid federal immigration enforcement actions. Mark Ranneburger, a candidate and Northern California director for Forward.US, said the commission is "more important now than it ever has been" and cited DACA advocacy and local know-your-rights trainings as ongoing work (Mark Ranneburger).
Incumbent Mario Paz, seeking reappointment and a residency waiver, told supervisors that undocumented immigrant families are increasingly facing homelessness and ineligible for many affordable-housing projects. "The current affordable housing projects that are in the pipeline...aren't going to be able to benefit our undocumented communities, unfortunately, because of eligibility requirements," he said (Mario Paz).
Nima Rahimi described grassroots know-your-rights work and organizing at airports after the travel ban; he also discussed labor negotiations involving Chariot drivers and the Teamsters, noting the driver workforce is predominantly low-income and immigrant (Nima Rahimi).
Adrienne Pahn, executive director of the Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs, and community members urged broad language capacity on the commission and said current nominees would strengthen representation. After discussion and public testimony, a motion naming multiple candidates and requesting residency waivers was made, seconded and ordered without objection.
