HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-03-21_Open Session_General Comment-Bautista, Claudia_RedactedFrom:
CMDIA aAURSFA
To:
Public Comments
Subject:
Public Comment Attack on San DemaNlro Day taboe
Date:
Wednesday, November 3, 20213:53:05 W
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This email is to the San Bernardino City Council.
My name is Claudia Bautista, Associate Director with the Pomona Economic Opportunity
Center. I am sending this email as a concerned community member and ally of the day laborer
community. On November 2nd, 2021, on the comer of Highland and Lincoln about 20-25 day
laborers and street vendors, most undocumented immigrant workers, were targetted by a City
of San Bernardino operation, many were ticketed, some had their work vehicles impounded, at
least one person was arrested. PEOC's mission is to empower low -wage, immigrant workers in
Pomona and across the Inland Empire. To that end, we regularly conduct outreach to day
laborers in that specific comer, many of those day laborers are our members.
Yesterday we were notified by our workers about this operation. Having their vehicle
impounded and having to pay the fines associated with these tickets and impoundments places
a very high burden on workers who earn a living on a day-to-day basis.
We believe this is an unacceptable way to treat community members who gather there to wait
for work, a practice protected under the fast amendment. Impoundment of vehicles has also
been found unconstitutional in many instances. We demand that the police department cease
the targeting of our members. We hope to soon request a meeting with the chief of police, as
well as the council members and mayor to further discuss how to solve this wrongdoing.
Thank you,
Claudia Bautista Perales, MSW
Associate Director, Pomona Economic Opportunity Center
Wunions, CA 91766
Pronouns: shelherlhers