This year, Chattanooga has an opportunity to advance a new vision of belonging for our community and our state— an inclusive and equitable society that takes care of everyone, immigrants included.
Chattanooga's immigrant families are deeply rooted in the fabric of the city, and thousands are doing essential work on the frontlines of this pandemic. However, immigrant communities also face unique barriers when it comes to participating in the daily life of the city, and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the deep structural and racial inequities in our health and economic systems. Black and brown communities, including immigrants, working on the frontlines as essential workers have faced the highest infection and death rates, as well as increased economic fallout from the pandemic. No matter where we’re from or how we got here, we all need access to resources and opportunities that help our families grow and thrive.
We know that our communities work best when everyone can participate without fear, but anti-immigrant attacks over the last four years from the federal and state government have only deepened the mistrust that immigrant and refugee communities have towards local government. While the federal government makes decisions about who can come into our country or who can stay, it’s at the local level where we make it work. We will push the Biden administration to create a fair, just, and humane immigration system, but we can’t rely solely on the federal government for the conditions necessary for a just future for immigrants - that has to start at the local level.
As we work to ensure that our communities make it through this pandemic and continue to address the long term consequences of the resulting racial, health, and economic crises, we must work to dismantle the deep injustices in our system and work toward a new model that prioritizes immigrant inclusion and centers equity.
That’s why we created this platform as a blueprint for the next mayor and council of Chattanooga. As Chattanooga’s foreign-born population continues to grow, we must enact bold and robust pro-immigrant policy solutions that last during and beyond the pandemic and help build our shared prosperity.
This platform was informed by numerous discussions with immigrant and refugee community members and organizations. We also surveyed immigrant and refugee community members in Chattanooga on their priorities for the city of Chattanooga. This platform is not exhaustive of the needs and aspirations of our communities, but it provides a roadmap for key priority issue areas for the next council and mayor of Chattanooga.
Covid Relief And Care For All Immigrant Families: Immigrant communities and Black communities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 while working on the front lines of the pandemic. We must ensure that all communities, regardless of immigration status, are fully included in the decisions Chattanooga makes about public health and economic relief, by providing full and equitable access to health care for all, ensuring that information and resources reach all communities in their spoken languages, providing eviction protection and rent relief and robust economic relief to all working families and small businesses.
Defend Workers’ Rights And Increase Economic Opportunities: Immigrants and refugees have played a key role in our city’s economic growth. Although immigrants have high participation in the labor force, they experience higher rates of poverty than their U.S. born counterparts. The city can invest in workforce development and entrepreneurship in the immigrant community, set a high standard for quality jobs, and hold bad actors accountable for exploiting workers and low-income communities.
Immigrant Legal Defense Support: Research has shown that immigrants who have an attorney fare much better in deportation proceedings. Chattanooga residents going through deportation proceedings are not guaranteed an attorney if they cannot afford one. Chattanooga can have a substantial impact in protecting immigrant residents and families by creating resources and programs to ensure Chattanooga’s immigrant communities have access to immigration attorneys in deportation proceedings.
Municipal IDs For Local Residents: The ability to provide proof of identity impacts nearly every aspect of Chattanoogans’ lives, from being able to borrow books from a library to being able to register children for school. In addition to benefiting undocumented immigrants, municipal IDs are also helpful for some of the most vulnerable community members, including homeless residents, youth in the foster system, low-income elderly people, and formerly-incarcerated individuals who face obstacles in obtaining necessary documentation. By issuing municipal ID cards, Chattanooga can protect their residents and boost its economy.
A More Welcoming Chattanooga Through Increased Access To Services and Civic Engagement: Cities work best when everyone is able to fully participate and contribute. Immigrants and refugees, especially those who are new to our community, face unique barriers to accessing and engaging with government agencies. The mayor and city council should increase access to city programs and services, regardless of immigration status or language ability, support more targeted and robust immigrant integration initiatives, and coordinate its efforts through creating an empowered Office of New Americans. The city should invest in leadership development within immigrant communities and provide opportunities to engage and lead in the civic and political life of our community.
Defend Immigrant And Refugee Communities: In the face of unrelenting attacks on immigrants and refugees, we need our elected officials to take a bold stance in defending our residents and our values against the federal government and our state legislature - in the public conversation, in the legislature, and in the courts.
We would like to thank the following organizations for their thoughtful feedback and input:
TN United
La Paz Chattanooga
Chattanooga Area Labor Council
UnifiEd