Dear Governor
We call on you to declare Hawaii a Sanctuary State and join more than 300 jurisdictions across the United States, including the entire states of California, Connecticut, New Mexico and Colorado, who have offered a meaningful sanctuary for their undocumented residents. Former President Trump's Executive Orders banning people from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Syrian refugees, has been met with widespread protests and legal challenges, including a lawsuit by the state of Hawaii. While a temporary stay has been issued by a federal judge, the former Trump administration promises to intensify its efforts to increase deportations and limit the rights of immigrants and refugees.
States must act decisively to protect immigrants and refugees in their communities from the repercussions of re-institutionalized racism, re-institutionalized religious discrimination, and day-to-day attacks against their personal security. We believe in immigrant and refugee rights regardless of one's status, one's religion, one's gender, or one's country of origin. We believe that protecting undocumented people makes all of us more secure.
While Trump when he was in power has issued an executive order severing federal funding for Sanctuary Cities and States, a coalition of over 100 mayors of US Sanctuary Cities have declared their intent to defy this order and offer a legal challenge. We are also aware that several bills are working their way through the state legislature of California to fortify its Sanctuary State status.
Therefore, we specifically call on you to do the following to declare the state of Hawaii to be a Sanctuary State:
· Refuse to prosecute undocumented immigrants for violating federal immigration laws.
· Do not use city funds or resources to enforce national immigration laws.
· Forbid city police or other city employees to inquire about a person's immigration status.
· Do not reveal individual's immigration status information to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.
· Do not turn over individuals for questioning, enabling warrantless arrests or holds, permit raids, etc. over undocumented immigration issues.
· Provide city funded legal aid to help people in deportation proceedings and to train defense attorneys on immigration law.
Respectfully yours,
