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Rules Committee reappoints incumbents and forwards new members to Immigrant Rights Commission
Summary
The Rules Committee voted to reappoint three incumbents and to appoint two new members — including Leah Chen Price and Almudena Bernabeu — to the Immigrant Rights Commission, waiving a residency requirement for one nominee and emphasizing ongoing work on unaccompanied children and legal‑service outreach.
The Rules Committee forwarded a slate of five appointments to the Immigrant Rights Commission, reappointing three incumbents and recommending two new appointees after extensive public testimony.
Adrienne Pahn, Executive Director of the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs, summarized the office’s outreach: citizenship workshops (9 completed) that have reached more than 3,000 residents, use of volunteers and city staff, and assistance on thousands of applications. She urged the committee to sustain momentum by appointing engaged commissioners.
Applicants and supporters described their experience and reasons to serve. Andre Romanenko (immigration attorney and volunteer in immigration court) and Leah Chen Price (immigration attorney and co‑chair of the National Lawyers Guild Bay Area Immigration Committee) described removal‑defense and pro‑bono work, and Leah Chen Price said she would focus on legal representation for unaccompanied children and immigrant victims of crime. Community leaders and faith organizations also testified in support of candidates including Almudena Bernabeu and Harogu (supporters used several spellings in the transcript).
Supervisor Campos moved to reappoint three incumbents and to appoint Almudena Bernabeu and Leah Chen Price to fill the additional seats. The committee also voted to waive the residency requirement for one nominee before forwarding the slate to the full Board; supervisors noted attendance and community ties as important criteria.
The committee’s action advances the city’s capacity to continue citizenship outreach and to address legal services and wraparound supports for immigrant communities across San Francisco.
