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Residents urge Durham to adopt 'Stand Up for Durham' resolution and hold a public hearing on federal immigration actions
Summary
Make NC Work volunteers and residents pressed Durham council to adopt a 'Stand Up for Durham' resolution to document harms from federal immigration enforcement and to hold a public hearing co‑sponsored with county officials; commenters also criticized work‑hour barriers to public comment and asked for more responsive scheduling.
Public commenters told the City Council the community needs a formal local response to federal immigration enforcement actions and other federal policy shifts they said are harming residents.
Maria Zerataros, a volunteer organizer with Make NC Work, encouraged the council to pass a “Stand Up for Durham” resolution that would direct the city manager to publicly document and respond to harms from federal overreach, including health‑care cuts, workplace raids and funding reductions. “This resolution would ensure that Durham listens to its impacted residents and takes concrete local steps to defend our constitutional rights and community stability,” she told the council.
Kristen Emory, also with Make NC Work, described family refugee histories and local disruptions she links to immigration enforcement, including reduced school attendance during recent federal enforcement actions and increasing food insecurity; she asked the council to follow through on prior commitments and meet with affected neighbors. Donald Hughes, another resident, urged the council to “disaggregate this data” — asking for zip‑code and race breakdowns of crime and other impacts — and pressed for transparency about the city’s Bull City Future Fund, including how donations are spent.
Commenters also criticized meeting logistics, saying working‑session public comment slots (1 p.m. Thursday sign‑ups and a 10‑day advance sign‑up requirement) limit participation for workers and other residents. Council members responded that the request and resolution would be circulated among members and went into rotation for consideration, and staff indicated they would work with organizers to craft language and next steps.
No formal vote on the resolution occurred at the work session; speakers asked the council to schedule an official public hearing and to consider co‑sponsorship with county officials.
