As Eagle County’s immigrant community worries about enforcement actions, commissioners re-affirm resolution supporting all residents
Measure affirms county service support for everyone
Robert Tann/Vail Daily
With immigration enforcement worrying communities nationwide, the Eagle County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday passed a resolution “in support of all residents.”
The resolution echoes and expands upon a similar measure passed in early 2016, following the first election of President Donald Trump.
According to Laura Hartman, the county’s senior policy analyst, the resolution is the first in the county’s history to be published in English and Spanish. Hartman said the resolution “acknowledges the concerns of community members” and states that the county “will never engage in illegal discrimination.”
The resolution, in both languages, will be posted to the county’s online resolution archive as soon as it’s signed by the commissioners.
The resolution adds that “trust between local government and the community is essential to delivering services and ensuring the safety and health of all residents and visitors. The Board is dedicated to fostering an environment where all residents and visitors feel secure accessing county services and engaging in civic life.”
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It also states that, “according to law, Eagle County Government will continue to offer services to all residents and visitors regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or other protected categories.”
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‘The backbone of our valley’
Residents Leslie Lopez and Citlalli Bernal spoke out in support of the measure during Tuesday’s meeting.
In her comments to the commissioners, Bernal spoke about the “fear that has been passed around in the Hispanic and Latino communities.”
Bernal said while she and some of her young peers came together on Feb. 3 to join the nationwide Day without Immigrants protests by not going to work, there was a key group missing: their parents.
“After leaving my workplace for the protest, I felt inspired and motivated to do something for my community, my family and my friends,” she said. “I decided to plan a peaceful protest right here in Gypsum. And I managed to gather a group of roughly 50 people, children of migrant parents from all different age groups. Yet the people who were missing were our migrant parents. I, along with millions of daughters and sons of Hispanic parents, am proud of where we came from and will forever do anything for our parents who risked it all for us.”
Bernal said the resolution comes at a needed time for a community that feels under attack.
“I’ve seen awareness of the mass deportation spreading on social media, but I haven’t seen any action being taken,” she said. “I wanted to remind Eagle County that we are the backbone of this valley. We’ve received so much love and support from our Mexican community, yet we’ve also received direct racism from others. The reason we want to speak up for our parents is because they are too scared to. Our parents have faced discrimination and oppression in this county and this country for years, and there has always been a fear of authority, but never like this before.”
While the resolution that commissioners signed Tuesday reaffirms a resolution that was signed nine years ago by the same board, Bernal said it’s more than that.
“This resolution means so much more than you think to my community as a way to help the county see the unconstitutional process being taken within the United States,” she said. “It is a reminder of their duty to protect people of our value who shouldn’t be seen as different because of the country of orgin. To strengthen the relationship between our migrants who provide and serve this community. One of many impactul ways to support our Hispanic community is through this updated resolution to show that our leaders do care about the backbone of our county.”
Lopez respectfully asked the commissioners that the resolution “be more towards the community that is under attack.”
“Your Hispanic community feels like they are under attack with these new policies being passed at the federal level,” she said. “Although Colorado has shown their support for the migrant community, it is important to address these issues locally.”
She referenced the Black Lives Matter movement to make her point.
“The argument among many was that all lives matter, and it’s not that all lives don’t matter, because all lives do matter and that is very important,” she said. “But it’s the fact that we are lacking support as a community.”
She added that 73% of the Hispanic population is part of the valley’s workforce, according to U.S. Census data, and that 75% of those people start looking for work at age 16, many out of necessity. Lopez said she’s one of those people.
“There’s a lack of awareness in general of how many high schoolers are a big part of this labor force and how it’s not by choice but by necessity,” she said. “Without the 73% in Eagle County working, what would Eagle County be? It is important for us to feel that we are supported in these hard times, to tell your community about the free legal advice that you offer. To have these posters be printed in Spanish. To have the people who are under attack understand what is going on in their language as well. Show your community how much they matter because without them, your economy and your loving community would crumble and it’s important to be the change.”
‘Some lives require more care and attention’
Commissioner Matt Scherr said the resolution is a way to “re-express” the board’s commitment to the community.
“Having a resolution from however long ago, nine years ago, is inadequate and it is important on any occasion, every once in a while, to re-express that commitment to community,” he said.
Scherr said he loves local government because he’s a “firm believer in the importance and power of our expression of ourselves as a community through government.”
“To me, government is the highest expression of ourselves,” he said. “It ought to be the best, as a community. Laws are what government does, but we also express the values of a community and those laws and orders should express those values.”
Scherr noted that at times “some lives require more care and attention than others,” adding that “right now the immigrant community is feeling threatened.”
“And we want them to know that we care about that community,” he said. “They are as much a part of this community as all the rest of us. They are critical to this community.”
Commissioner Tom Boyd said a resolution is a “very, very high bar,” noting that the board hears requests every day for resolutions on one topic or another.
Tuesday’s resolution is one “I’m proud to have my name on,” Boyd said, one that says “this is a county for all people,” and that its services are available to all.
Boyd praised Eagle County Sheriff James van Beek, who was at Tuesday’s meeting, and other law enforcement officials, who have stated their commitment to protect all residents and visitors in the county.
“Folks need to make sure that they are protected under the law,” Boyd said. “And they need to feel comfortable to call for help. That’s really, really important, no matter who you are.”
Scherr lastly thanked Lopez and Bernal and the county staff that worked on the resolution for having the courage to make their voices heard.
“Particularly in times of community stress, some of the most important things that happen are because somebody has the courage to stand up and take a risk,” he said. “So thank you all for the work you’ve been doing to represent the community and to stand up for yourselves and others.”
