Agenda - 01-22-2015 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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11 1 Rolin Russell said he is the chair of the sub - committee of HRC on diversity, and he 2 invited the Board members to attend the Human Relations Forum that will take place on 3 January 25, 2015, in celebration of the 95th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment. 4 5 b. Resolution in Support of Equal Access for Immigrant Children 6 The Board considered adopting a resolution declaring that Orange County, North 7 Carolina, is a welcoming community in support of equal access to the fundamental right of 8 public education, basic health care, and the protection of law enforcement for immigrant children 9 and authorizing the Chair to sign. 10 Human Relations Commission Chair Doris Brunson read the following resolution: 11 12 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 13 RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF EQUAL ACCESS FOR IMMIGRANT CHILDREN 14 15 WHEREAS, Orange County, North Carolina, is a compassionate and caring community that is 16 committed to creating a welcoming atmosphere that values equality and social justice; and 17 WHEREAS, the number of unaccompanied children and minors from Central American nations 18 seeking refuge in the United States has dramatically risen over the last three years; and 19 WHEREAS, the vast majority of the children seeking refuge in the United States are fleeing 20 extreme violence and poverty, including from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras; and 21 WHEREAS, Honduras is the country with the world's highest murder rate, while El Salvador's 22 murder rate is the fourth highest in the world; and 23 WHEREAS, the majority of the children entering the United States are returning to parents or 24 other family members who are present in the United States, including those children coming to 25 North Carolina; and 26 WHEREAS, approximately 1,429 of these children have been placed in North Carolina since 27 January 2014; and 28 WHEREAS, those children arriving in our community have the right under the United States 29 Constitution to equal access to a public education, basic health care, and the protection of law 30 enforcement; 31 NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Orange County Board of Commissioners hereby: 32 • Affirms that Orange County is a welcoming community to children seeking refuge 33 from violence in their home countries and to the sponsors of these children; 34 • Affirms the rights of children to attend public schools and to access basic health 35 care in the county they reside, without regards to their immigration status; 36 • Urges our congressional representatives, the Obama Administration, the 37 Department of Homeland Security, and Governor Pat McCrory to ensure that the 38 thousands of minors seeking safety within our borders and being apprehended 39 by Border Patrol receive due process and legal representation in court hearings; 40 • Directs the County Manager and all county departments to make services and 41 resources available to help welcome children into our community who are 42 seeking refuge from violence in their home countries; 43 • Encourages continuing collaboration between Orange County and other local 44 governmental entities and advocacy organizations to support and protect these 45 children; and 46 • Directs the Chair of the Board and the Clerk to forward this Resolution to each of 47 the local governments in Orange County, including both Boards of Education, 48 and respectfully requests that each consider adopting similar resolutions, and 49 also forward this resolution to our state legislative delegation, and to the North 50 Carolina Association of Counties.