February 13, 2023 IRC meeting

This item is to allow the Commission Chair to acknowledge that the Commission is on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula.

This item is to allow members of the public to address the Commission on matters that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission and that do not appear on today’s agenda.

This item is to allow the Chair and Vice Chair to welcome new OCEIA Director Jorge Rivas, and to allow Director Rivas to make brief remarks.

(Discussion/Action)

a. Approval of January 9, 2023 Full Commission Meeting Minutes

Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the Immigrant Rights Commission’s January 9, 2023 Full Commission meeting. Explanatory Document:

(Information/Discussion)

a. 2023 Language Access Compliance Summary Report (Director Rivas)

This item allows OCEIA staff to provide a brief overview of the 2023 Language Access Compliance Summary report, which evaluates City departments’ compliance with the Language Access Ordinance. The report was sent to the Immigrant Rights Commission on February 1, 2023.



b. Invited Speakers

This item allows members of community organizations to speak briefly about language access gaps, needs, and issues they have observed in the communities they work with, and to provide any recommendations on how the City can improve its language services.

1. Self-Help for the Elderly
2. Language Access Network and SOMCAN

(Discussion/Action)

a. City Advocacy Related to Proposed Immigration Fee Changes (Chair Kennelly)

This item allows the Chair to provide an update on her communication with the Mayor’s Office on potential actions the Commission can take to encourage City advocacy related to the federal administration’s proposed changes to immigration application fees; allows the Commission to vote on whether to write a resolution, statement, letter, comment, or other document; and, if approved, allows the Chair to assign a Commissioner to take the lead in drafting the document. This item is a follow-up to a question Commissioner Rahimi raised at the January 9, 2023 Full Commission meeting, about whether the Commission could write a public comment on the federal administration’s proposed immigration fee changes. Written comments on the proposed fee changes in the Federal Register are due by March 6, 2023.



b. Advocacy Related to Immigrant Workers at Risk of Losing Visas (Commissioner Chaudhary)

This item allows Commissioner Chaudhary to discuss writing a statement in support of immigrant workers who are affected by tech layoffs and may be at risk of losing their visas and their ability to remain in the United States; allows the Commission to vote on whether to issue such a statement; and if approved, allows the Chair to assign a Commissioner to take the lead in drafting the statement.

 

(Information/Discussion)

a. Chair and Vice Chair’s Updates and 2023 Preview (Chair Kennelly and Vice Chair Paz)

This item allows the Chair and Vice Chair to provide brief updates on the work of the Executive Committee and preview upcoming meetings, including the IRC Strategic Planning Retreat, a hearing on LGBTQ immigrants, and the Immigrant Leadership Awards.



b. Rescheduling of March Full Commission Meeting

This item allows the Commission Chair to reschedule the March 2023 Full Commission meeting from March 13, 2023 to March 20, 2023.



c. Immigrant Leadership Awards Committee (Chair Kennelly, Commissioner Ricarte)

Information on the 2023 Immigrant Leadership Awards, which honors the contributions of local immigrant leaders and champions of immigrant committees. This item allows the Commission Chair to nominate the Awards Committee Co-Chairs and invite Commissioners to join the Awards Committee, and allows Commissioner Ricarte to schedule the first Awards Committee meeting.

(Information)



a. Director’s Updates

Report on OCEIA and IRC activities and announcements. This item allows the Director to provide brief updates on activities and announcements. If the Commission would like a full report, we can place that matter on the agenda for a future meeting.



b. In-Person Commission Meetings

This item allows the Director to provide a brief update on Commissions’ return to in-person meetings beginning in March 2023.



c. Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) Reminder

This item allows OCEIA staff to remind Commissioners to submit their Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) through NetFile by April 1, 2023.

(Information)

This item is to allow Commissioners to provide updates on items the Commission has previously discussed, and to introduce new agenda items for future consideration by the Commission.