Monica Urena speaks to the borough council Wednesday night. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
A resolution that thrust Red Bank into a national debate on illegal immigration won narrow approval by the borough council Wednesday night.
A watered-down version of it, that is.
Rabbi Marc Kline at Monday’s Human Relations Advisory Committee meeting. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
After weeks of silence, the Red Bank council is expected next month to consider a proposed resolution that has thrust the borough into a national debate on illegal immigration.
Human Relations Advisory Committee Chairman David Pascale told the group Monday night that he’ll be at the April 12 council meeting to “stand by” a statement that calls for town officials to “monitor and challenge” any costs arising from federal efforts to find and deport undocumented aliens.
The HRAC, meanwhile, rejected member Ashley Homefield’s proposal that the committee simply “make a statement on behalf of the community rather than pushing [a resolution] to vote by the council.”
Human Relations Committee Chairman David Pascale, seen above with member Kate Okeson, and his comment on a Facebook post by committee member Michael Clancy, below. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
The head of Red Bank’s Human Relations Committee has asked one of its members to resign for characterizing the testimony of Latino witnesses at a meeting last month as “sob stories.”
HRC Chairman David Pascale also questioned whether member Michael Clancy, who leads the borough Republican party, is committed to the panel’s mission of fostering a “welcoming and inclusive community” after Clancy said he thought he was joining a “nothing committee.”
Protesters outside borough hall on February 27. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
[See correction below]
By JOHN T. WARD
A controversial proposal to have Red Bank oppose “any forced collaboration” between its police and federal immigration authorities generated no official action by the borough council Wednesday night.
Meeting for the first time since hundreds of protesters from both sides of the national immigration debate packed an advisory committee meeting eight days earlier, the council still had nothing in hand to vote upon, Mayor Pasquale Menna told the audience at the governing body’s semimonthly meeting.
Pro-immigrant protesters, above, outnumbered opponents outside borough hall both before and after Monday’s meeting. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
With rallies before and afterward heavily favoring the rights of undocumented residents, Red Bank’s Human Relations Committee voted Monday to oppose “any forced collaboration” between borough police and federal authorities when it comes to enforcing immigration law.
Short of declaring Red Bank a “sanctuary city,” the committee passed, by a 5-2 vote, a resolution that instead calls for town officials to “monitor and challenge” any costs arising from federal efforts to find and deport undocumented aliens.
A sign installed by the Human Relations Committee in Veteran’s Park at Riverside Avenue and West Front Street in 2011. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Even as President Donald Trump threatens to cut federal funding to so-called “sanctuary cities” across America, Red Bank may adopt the designation, redbankgreen has learned.
In response to requests by residents, the borough’s Human Relations Committee is expected to discuss the issue later this month, said Chairman David Pascale.