How does this help our community?

If people are here legally this isn't an issue to begin with. If they are here illegally they shouldn't be here.

Is Mark Poloncarz all warm and fuzzy inside now?



India Walton on immigration

As mayor, India will represent all residents of the City of Buffalo and give voice to individuals whether they have resided here for a lifetime or have newly arrived in our city. She will allocate resources to improve accessibility to city services, increase legal aid for immigrants, and end all forms of local police collaboration with immigration enforcement.
Short-Term Policy Goals (First 100 Days):
  • Declare Buffalo a sanctuary city, which means that city employees will NOT use city resources to:
    • Assist or cooperate with any ICE investigation, detention, or arrest relating to alleged violations of the civil provisions of federal immigration law.
    • Ask about immigration status on any application for city benefits, services, or opportunities, except as required by federal or state statute, regulation, or court decision.
    • Limit city services or benefits based on immigration status, unless required by federal or state statute or regulation, public assistance criteria, or court decision.
    • Provide information about the release status or personal information of any individual, except in limited circumstances when law enforcement may respond to ICE requests for notification about when an individual will be released from custody.
    • Detain an individual on the basis of a civil immigration detainer after that individual becomes eligible for release from custody.

  • End BPD cooperation with ICE. As mayor, India will be transparent with immigrant communities by enacting written legislation/policy that bars information sharing between local law enforcement (BPD) and ICE and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officials.
  • Ensure that all city agencies work for the needs of all residents, regardless of their immigration status. City agencies will maintain open dialogue and ongoing outreach with the communities they serve.

Near-Term Policy Goals (6 Months to 1 Year):
  • Dedicate funding for legal services that offer options to grant fee waivers for adjustment of status fees, work permit fees, citizenship fees, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) fees.
  • Improve outreach and accessibility for the Office of New Americans, which should act as a liaison offering funding opportunities for all organizations providing direct services, community education, and advocacy to immigrant communities.
  • Improve accessibility to city agency services through improved/expanded language access. All residents should be aware of and be able to access the resources and services available to them in the language they prefer to speak in.

Long-Term Policy Goals (1 to 4 Years):
  • Actively recruit multilingual officers to serve communities and increase trust between new residents and police.
  • Increase civic participation by all residents through establishment and facilitation of neighborhood caucuses that encourage democratic participation regardless of voting/immigration status.