Cleveland, OH, Feb.5, 2025: Cleveland City Council is committed to ensuring Cleveland’s residents, visitors, and businesses enjoy safety, freedom, and resources to improve their economic status. The recent, deliberate targeting of Latino residents nationwide – and in our region – is a direct threat to these goals.
We are in constant communication and partnership with our mayor, police chief, and leaders from the business, non-profit, and community sectors to address the needs of our residents and provide vocal and active support for our residents and families.
Cleveland’s first settler, our namesake, Moses Cleaveland was an immigrant to America. Every ward, neighborhood, and community in Cleveland is impacted by immigrants, with arguably the wards represented by Councilwomen Stephanie Howse-Jones (Ward 7), and Jasmin Santana (Ward 14) having the largest immigrant communities. Both Council members have been vocal in their opposition to the inhumane separation of working families in our region. Councilwoman Santana shared, “These detainments – sometimes without legal warrants – directly impact families in our city. What affects one, affects all. We cannot and will not idly sit by as our neighbors, friends, and families face these threats.
“These migrants must be given due process and access to adequate legal representation.” Councilwoman Stephanie Howse-Jones stated, “It’s important for public officials everywhere to take a stand. What is going on in our country is wrong and we need people to directly face and fight back against the tyranny in our country. This tyranny is unacceptable.”
Council President Blaine A. Griffin (Ward 6) shared that Cleveland truly is a melting pot – with thousands of immigrants from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe contributing to our healthcare, arts, culture, and economy. Their valuable contributions have played, and continue to play a vital role in shaping Cleveland into the city we know and love. We stand united with immigrants from every part of the world and in preserving the equitable practices we do to make Cleveland the place we love.”
Council has published a list of resources and contacts for those looking to learn more about the targeted raids. The resources are available at clevelandcitycouncil.org/immigrantresources.