UUFBR PEACE Network members are currently encouraging everyone to go to the Action. It is helpful to be up to date on the issues that will be covered at the Action.
Emily Small, the Lead Organizer of PEACE sent the following issue update:
WHY it is so important that we get 2,000 people to the PBC Convention Center at 7pm on Monday, March 31st:
- Criminal Justice issue – there is good news to report! While the Sheriff is indeed unable to come, he is sending his second-in command, Deputy Chief Mike Gauger. Deputy Chief Gauger will speak on behalf of the Sheriff, and since he was the only person we were willing to accept in the Sheriff’s place, we are glad he is coming. We’ve had one meeting with him this past week, and have another one scheduled for Monday. It is going to be a tough case to get Deputy Chief Gauger to agree to our questions! So it is very important, as always, that we get as many people there that night as possible.
What are we asking Deputy Chief Gauger to answer, on behalf of the Sheriff? We are asking him to instruct deputies that they are not to arrest people whose only charge is driving without a license (we realize they need to give them a citation, but we are asking them NOT to arrest them); we are asking him to follow the lead of 12 other Counties throughout the Country who have decided to limit compliance with ICE detainer requests, and only allow ICE to detain people who end up in jail with violent felony offenses; and finally, we are asking him to work with us on a plan by which the Sheriff’s Office can be supportive of an effort underway at the state level to allow drivers’ licenses for undocumented immigrants in the state of Florida.
- Jobs / Unemployment in the Glades – We have 5 of 7 County Commissioners coming (Santamaria, Burdick, Vana, Taylor, and Valeche). We plan on asking them to instruct their staff (Bob Weisman and others in County Administration) to conduct research into the following for County contracts awarded in the last 5 years – 1) the # of Glades businesses that received a contract or sub-contract; 2) the # of Glades residents that were actually hired to work on those contracts; and 3) the number of Glades business that were used in purchasing for those contracts. Then we are asking them to instruct their staff to bring that research back to the County Commission within 3 months, with recommendations on how to rectify weaknesses – including the development of a First Source Ordinance?