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More Than 30 Mayors Sign Amicus Brief In Defense of Executive Action

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Twelve states and a roster of police chiefs have made their support known for President Obama’s recent executive action — and joining them today are more than 30 Mayors, who are signing their own amicus brief defending Obama’s announcement.

The effort was led by Mayors Bill de Blasio of New York City and Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles and includes the National League of Cities and the US Conference of Mayors, in addition to the 30 Mayors.  The brief argues that “public interest across the country is served clearly and overwhelmingly by implementing immigration reform by executive action” and that blocking executive action will stall “desperately needed changes” to federal immigration policy.  The Mayors are also saying that executive action will benefit their cities by providing work authorization for millions, increasing local revenue, stimulating local economies, and improving public safety by strengthening neighborhoods and communities.

According to a press statement, this is the first submission to the court from the city perspective and is an outcome of a December immigration summit hosted by Mayor de Blasio and the Cities United for Immigration Action coalition.  The cities represented by the 30 mayors are home to some 28 million people, including 7.5 million immigrants.

As Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who established a Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, said in the press release:

Our cities cannot afford delays to immigration reforms that will strengthen our economy and help families.  This isn’t a blue or red issue, but a human and economic one.

Echoed Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto:

 Filing an Amicus Brief is our way of saying: Pittsburgh stands on the right side of history. The President’s action on immigration was an important first step towards progress—for the growth and prosperity of our nation. We must not go backwards. 

The Mayors signing onto the brief are:

  • Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York, New York
  • Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles, California
  • Mayor Kasim Reed, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Mayor Byron Browm, Buffalo, New York
  • Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago, Illinois
  • Mayor Steve Benjamin, Columbia, South Carolina
  • Mayor Nan Whaley, Dayton, Ohio
  • Mayor Michael Hancock, Denver, Colorado
  • Mayor Muriel Bowser, Washington, D.C.
  • Mayor Pedro Segarra, Hartford, Connecticut
  • Mayor Annise Parker, Houston, Texas
  • Mayor Steven Fulop, Jersey City, New Jersey
  • Mayor Paul Soglin, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Mayor Ras Baraka, Newark, New Jersey
  • Mayor Michael Nutter, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Mayor Bill Peduto, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Mayor Charles Hales, Portland, Oregon
  • Mayor John Dickert, Racine, Wisconsin
  • Mayor Tom Butt, Richmond, California
  • Mayor Lovely Warren, Rochester, New York
  • Mayor Ralph Becker, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Mayor Ed Lee, San Francisco, California
  • Mayor Gary McCarthy, Schenectady, New York
  • Mayor Ed Murray, Seattle, Washington
  • Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis, Missouri
  • Mayor Marilyn Strickland, Tacoma, Washington
  • Mayor Mike Spano, Yonkers, New York
  • The following mayors have expressed their support and will sign on to the brief, pending final local approvals:
  • Mayor Karen Majewski, Hamtramck, Michigan
  • Mayor Virg Bernero, Lansing, Michigan
  • Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Mayor Betsy Hodges, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Mayor Greg Stanton, Phoenix, Arizona