Proposed amendment to establish a "Cambridge Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship"

Proposed amendment to the Cambridge Municipal Code to establish a
“Cambridge Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship”
[introduced in City Council by Vice Mayor Toomey, April 24, 2006]

Now be it Ordained: That the Cambridge Municipal Code shall be amended to include Chapter 2._

Cambridge Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship

Section 2._.010 Established

A. There shall be a Cambridge Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship.

B. The Commission shall be considered a department of the City, with all the rights and responsibilities thereof. The Executive Director of the Commission shall be considered the Department Head.

Section 2._.020 Membership — Appointment — Term

A. The Commission shall consist of eleven members, all of whom shall be appointed initially by the City Manager to serve the following terms:

1. Three members shall serve for a one year term;
2. Four members shall serve for a two-year term;
3. Four members shall serve for three-year term.

After the initial terms, all Commissioners shall be appointed for a term of three years.

B. If any Commissioner misses three unexcused meetings of the Commission during a calendar year, that position of the Commissioner shall be automatically vacated upon certification to the City Manager by the Commission.

C. After the initial appointments, subsequent members of the Commission shall be appointed by the City Manager from recommendations provided by the Commission. The Commission shall consult with recognized groups working immigrant rights and citizenship, including but not limited to Asian American Citizens Association, Centro Presente, Concilio Hispano, Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, The Haitian Coalition, and Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, to obtain names of qualified candidates. Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled no later than thirty days after the vacancy occurs; and if a vacancy occurs prior to the expiration of the member's term, an appointment shall be made for the remainder of the term.

D. The Commission at all times shall be representative of all socio-economic and racial/ethnic segments of the City and also have members who are resource people on immigrant rights and citizenship.

Section 2._.030 Membership – Qualifications

A. All prospective Commissioners shall have belief in and support immigrant rights and citizenship.

B. Commissioners must be residents of the City of Cambridge at the time of appointment.

Section 2._.040 Election of Chairperson – Adoption of bylaws.

The members of the Commission shall elect a Chairperson from among its members, and shall adopt bylaws for the Commission.

Section 2._.050 Executive Director – Appointment – Term

A. There shall be an Executive Director of the Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship whose selection and length of employment shall be determined by the City Manager with the advice of the Commission.

B. The prospective Executive Director of the Commission shall have demonstrated administrative expertise, a background of direct participation in immigrant rights and citizenship, and the ability to work cooperatively with persons of various socio-economic backgrounds and of every national origin, race, sex, age and sexual preference.

C. The Executive Director shall have adequate staff assistance.

Section 2..060 Function and Purpose It shall be the function of the Commission to:

A. Act as a centralizing force in the City and the community which will deal with all immigrant rights and citizenship issues providing information, referral, guidance, coordination, offering and providing technical assistance to other public agencies and private persons, organizations and institutions engaged in activities and programs intended to support immigrant rights and citizenship and eliminate prejudice and discrimination against immigrants because of their status as immigrants and non citizens.

B. Take such action as the Commission considers appropriate to insure the equal status of immigrants of every national origin, race, sex, age and sexual preference.

Section 2._.070 Powers and Duties.

The powers and duties of the commission shall include the following:

A. To ensure the equal status of immigrants in education, employment, healthcare, housing, political, social and legal spheres;

B. To design and implement programs that promote the equality of all immigrants in the City;

C. To design and implement programs to encourage and maintain the culture diversity immigrants bring to the City;

D. To develop recommendations and recommend policy to all departments, divisions and agencies of the City, including the City manager and the City Council to promote and ensure immigrant rights and citizenship;

E. To coordinate activities of all departments and divisions of City government on issues affecting immigrants;

F. To initiate and coordinate and monitor the enactment of City, State and Federal legislation which promotes immigrant rights and citizenship, and to ensure that appropriate regulations are adopted and enforced pursuant to such legislation;

G. To monitor enactment of State and federal legislation which would restrict immigrant rights and citizenship and advise on same to all departments, divisions and agencies of the City, including the City Manager and the city Council and recommend appropriate courses of action in connection therewith;

H. Such other powers and duties as may be agreed on by the City Manager and the Commission.