CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE
SOLEDAD — The City of Soledad has officially signed a proclamation in support of Dreamers and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA.
Soledad City Council approved the resolution at its Oct. 4 meeting. In doing so, Soledad becomes the first city in Monterey County to officially state its support; the County of Monterey passed a similar resolution last month, followed by the City of Greenfield on Oct. 10.
“We will not allow the current political environment to divide our community,” said Soledad Mayor Fred Ledesma. “With this resolution, we are making it clear that our community embraces everyone, and will do everything we can to make sure all of our residents feel safe and welcomed.”
According to Soledad’s proclamation, “nearly one-third of the nation’s nearly 800,000 Dreamers live in California.” The resolution goes on to point out that a large number of Dreamers have earned college degrees and are major contributors to the national economy.
“I am proud of our city for taking this stand,” said City Manager Michael McHatten. “Although we are a small city, we are not afraid to stand up for what is right.”
The resolution has also been sent to the President of the United States.
