What was said · Salt Lake City
Council Formal Meeting
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 — the full transcript. Click any sentence to hear it.
Okay, okay, welcome everybody to the formal meeting of for the select City Council for today January 13th I Hope that we continue you all continue to participate in whichever manner you feel the most comfortable We're gonna start now with the Pledge of Alliance allusions. Please join us
Now we are moving on to No item number three, which is welcome I'm public meeting rules Thank you again for everyone who's joining us tonight Before we move through the agenda. I want to quickly go through registration information on our rules and standards for public meetings We welcome everyone and the Council's goals is to make this meeting a place where people feel safe and comfortable Participating with their local government. We invite everyone to help make this a welcoming place I Respectful and safe environment allows us to conduct the meeting in an early and efficient way our most basic rule is that any action that causes a disruption to our ability to conduct the meeting or any safety
concerned concerned involving threats or unprotected speech are not allowed These actions or comments may result in removal from the meeting as a reminder of our public meeting comment registration process individuals may register to comment On schedule public hearing items until the hearing is closed those items are specific to those topics For the general comment section We will accept sign-ups until 7 30 p.m The general comment section is limited to a maximum of one hour and will only include commenters who register before 7 30 So if you are here to give general comment, please sign up and remember that it's possible that not everyone who signed up May be able to speak I Will continue now. I'm moving on to item number four. I'm gonna take a moment of personal
privilege and recognize Councilmember Warren for his service Asolic City Council chair in 2025 Tonight we honor and recognize someone who has led the council with steadiness and compassion our 2025 council chair Chris Warren Serving as a chair is never simple It's never easy it means a long days tough conversations and understanding to hold Space for for a city that is growing and challenging challenging us and Chris you did that you approach this year This last year with humanity and if yours believe the select city can always do whether for residents business or honors and visitors This was this last year was a big one and not at times very easy And yet under Chris's leadership select city did not step back. We stepped forward
Earlier last year Thanks to the careful work of the mayor's office office. We we introduced three new official flags And I know Our bay move for too many of us our sego lily belonging flag honoring our LGBT Q plus residents our sego visibility flag honoring our transgender community and our sego Juneteenth flag honoring black and african-american resilience in our city Thank you for your leadership With with those with those flags each of each of those flags carries Esego lily a symbol of endurance that remind us how strong we are No matter the pressure to shrink or disappear And this year when the human rights campaign this last year when the human rights campaign release its latest municipal equality
Index select city earn back We're back a perfect score of a hundred That achievement didn't happen by accident. It happened because of steady year after year work the ukrias been part of Since long before I ever held public office And when speaking about this core He reminded all of us that a perfect score is not a finish line It is a promise to keep listening keep protecting and keep building a city with with when everybody what everybody belongs Christmas messages who you are
You had the chance to lead our majority queer city council something that We have been unthinkable not too long ago, and it's certainly still remarkable You led with dignity And fight with purpose. We want to thank you for your leadership So tonight on behalf of the council we're presenting you with a special gift an original portrait of by Pat Bagley I accompanied by the select city new new flags These gifts are somewhere. We're gonna get them to you. They're right here
But as the hat has a long history of capturing the heart of Utah and some of the most meaningful pieces of History in our in our city and this gift we wanted to highlight the flags as a symbol of the essential nature of your work the that even in challenging times you continue to push for dignity visibility and belonging for all people in our city to Serve beside you as to be reminded of courage
Courage sometimes looks like Consistency showing up choosing kindness and choosing every day to make room for people who are pushed out of other spaces Thank you for your leadership. I I also want to say beyond that that, you know, it has time our bonds of friendship Maybe it's trauma You know some of the challenges we dealt with last year there were heavy at times and you know dealing with with some legislation Or some issues that were affecting our residents and thank you for your leadership and thank you for your friendship. Thank you I I I I I I
Thank you so much. I love the gift and thank you all for the trust that you placed in me to to be your leader
For 2025 and to chair this this body that I'm so proud to be a member of
You know we had a lot of major accomplishments in 2025 approving two major zoning Changes that consolidated 26 commercial and makes you zones into six streamlined ones that's going to make it easier for people to understand the code and what's required of them We invested 11.5 million dollars in housing projects affordable housing projects We opened the first phase of our perpetual housing fund, which is Unique in the country a program that allows renters to build equity to put towards home ownership or some other Event that they that might come up in their lives where they need that equity
Adopting a 2.2 billion dollar budget responding to emergencies And strengthening the tools that we had for those emergencies including our co-responder programs dealing with the main street fires, which I'm so proud of our quick action after that and that Because of that one of those businesses is going to be reopening in the next month or so
And advancing the ballpark next community-driven design plan to decide, you know baseball has been played at that location for over a hundred years and This is a big change to to decide what what's going to happen there from now on and we laid that cornerstone Yes, or last year. Excuse me protecting natural resources for a long-term conservation and land use investments adding Like thousands of gallons to the Great Salt Lake through our ongoing efforts approving 44.2 million dollars and capital improvement programs to improve streets parks public facilities and Sustainability across the city and of course one that's near and dear to my heart
Adding three flags three official flags to the Salt Lake City To be among our Salt Lake City flags which are here behind us
So I'm really proud of all of that. I thank you all for For all your hard work in in each of those endeavors and I also want to say thank you to all eight who I have known for probably 20 years now But I don't think that we have ever been as close as we were this year and and I think definitely there is a lot of trauma bonding there but I also think you know we have disagreed on different issues on this council and pretty famously disagreed on some and But to have the opportunity to work with you is one of the things that I'm most proud of this year and
The other thing that I'm most proud of and that I hope that we were able to do is set you and Erica up for success as the leaders of the council in 2026 I think with You know so many in our community that Are feeling unsafe and are unsafe right now that you two will do an excellent job leading and I think it means so much to have an immigrant and a granddaughter of immigrants and leading us through you know these unprecedented times so I
offer my support and and I hope that I have I have a lot of faith in you guys and I know that you'll write To these through this occasion. So I'm excited to see what you can do. Thank you. No, thank you Thank you, I'm a concern for for your leadership last year and I will rely heavily on you and all of you I mean I I'm just Helping all of us move forward and try to have a voice for all of us together. So I'm I'm I'm looking forward to To leading this council together. So thank you We we need to move on To to an exciting No, oh we need to do it for a little bit of photos. Okay, great Can I have my job join me?
Do we want to have that you want to have that?
Yes She's she might be my daughter, but
Sarah is her favorite council member. So
We move in thank you. Thank you for allowing us that I We are going now to the public Hearing section of this agenda. These are specific Proposals before the council that require by law a public hearing your comments should pertain To the hearing item and if you go off topic we'll ask you to stop your comment our meeting rules also apply to hearing comments As well, please avoid disruptions or threats or we will ask a staff member to assist you out of the meeting Also as a reminder comments that include profanity personal attacks intimidation Discinatory language are not persuasive or compelling to the council They are helpful and create they are not helpful in creating a respectful or safe environment
To sign up to comment on any of the hearing items Please register online or turn in a common car to the in-person stuff We accept sign-ups until the hearing time item is close. We'll be calling the names in the order They have signed up if you are in zoom Please unmute your microphone when your name is called each person will have two minutes If you reach the two-minute mark at the host will announce time and your microphone will be muted if you need a staff assistant Assistance in the room or in zoom please raise raise your hand and someone will be with you if you are having technical issues with zoom our staff member actually Capola, la, capillary I can assist you if you are unable to finish your comment
Please share the rest via email mail or Core office contact information is listed at SLC dot gov slash council if you have a handout for the council Please notify the council staff who will assist you to making that available to us Let me go now the public hearing
Number be one and be five are gonna be heard together. These are grant applications Austin is gonna join us and provide a short introduction about these grant items
Thank You mr. Chair the city periodically applies and receives grants for which some city for some city programs Each grant will receive a public hearing giving the council and the public an opportunity to learn more about the grants The first grant is the fiscal year 2025 office of justice program community based violence intervention and Prevention innovative grant if approved it would fund two full-time analyst positions for the real-time crime center travel training Equipment supplies and a consultant from the national network for safer communities as well as over time for officers and law enforcement partners The second grant is a law enforcement based victim services mini grant if funding it would fund supplies for outreach items and travel and training for victim advocate teams
The third is a 2025 DUI enforcement equipment grant if funded it would provide portable breath testing devices The fourth is the surface transportation program 2025 for fiscal year 2032 If approved it would fund a carway roadway Reconstruction from foot Hill drive to air pimp drive located in the University of Utah research park and the fifth is the congestion mitigation air quality 2025 or carbon reduction program 2025 for fiscal year 2032 If approved it would fund the construction of the wakar away chapeat away roundabout located at the University of Utah research park Again these grants which these are grants which were applied for by the city. Thanks. Thank you Austin for that Introduction Taylor, please start with our first public comment on this in the on this public hearings
Thank you, mr Turn we have about six people registered to speak to these items the first will be a zayash Rodriguez followed by mj Powell and then Fran Lopez Is a ashes here in person? Hello, I'm sorry Rodriguez I am a Salt Lake City resident Lindale specifically. I just wanted to say again. You guys should vote no on B1 That specific outlining of B1 does include funding for again auto license plate readers I don't know why we're doing this again so soon I don't really think anyone here actually took the time to consider what was said last time So as a reminder if they work I'm not really sure what your defense is in terms of the shooting at 600 north as there's no running custody And we do have these cameras set up there. So why are we considering more?
As for other items, I notice there's a national network for safe communities That's funded by John J. College criminal justice the offers is real Sorry Israel education programs and birthright trips for Jewish students Vote no if you don't want any part in Israel's genocide The executive director of said association Sasha cotton was the director of for the office of violence prevention for Minneapolis when George Floyd was murdered by their police She's also reportedly still working at the Minnesota FBI Which just denied state officials access to evidence in the shooting of ice victim were they good?
vote no if you don't want art anymore outside hands in our community and Want to give it to the people that know how to best keep our community safe, which is literally everyone in this room Do to a LPRs And the careless companies handling their data. There's already a leak from 43 different police departments in Utah alone of citizen data Including a police department that operates within Salt Lake City Vote no if you respect the safety and privacy of your citizens and officers
Let's to be MJ Powell followed by friend Lopez and then Eliana Massey. I'm J You may now unmute Good evening City Council and Salt Lake City residents As well as the rest of the city employees and attendance Thank you to the young man who just spoke truth to power before me
Erica Congratulations on Being elected to the city council less for everyone else that's there You know who I am I was here last month and you've gotten my text messages I says in our community and as I jump on the first call of the year and we're talking about gratitude Rather than talking about the work that we need to do and making our constituents feel safe and reassured that y'all are doing your jobs that you were elected to do I Meanwhile I'm seeing grants from let me see US Department of Justice the same department that won't charge the federal agents Responsible for the murder of Renee good We want to take their money, but we won't do the work here in the city People will start remembering this if you do not vote no to this resolution
And so we get actual information that is shared across the city to the constituents that elect you to your positions And you keep doing straw polls like I saw in the work session People are going to remember that when it comes to elections We do not need to be civil and expressing our discontent with unconstitutional activities as well as a lack of legal due process for all Americans what happens in Minnesota impacts us in Salt Lake City vote no to be one and And as for the Wakara way, I love that we're kicking off the the new year focusing on the east side again We put a part game on the west side and we call it good. I'll be back during the public comment section Thank you for your time School be friend Lopez followed by Eliana Massey and then Leo Yuzuka Fran is here in person
aries district I just wanted to echo the previous statements that have been made and No on the one I don't really have anything else to say. I think it's just disgusting
next to a baby Eliana Massey followed by Leo Yuzuka and then Cynthia Dumas Eliana's here in person. I don't see the next speaker And we will move on to Leo Yuzuka followed by Cynthia Dumas Leo is here in person Can you call the next? Next we Oh, yeah, Leo is your time good evening. I just want to say that I live in West Point
on Redwood I Just want to say rest in peace to Jamie Garcia Keith Porter Renee Good and All the additional people who have been murdered by ice in this past year. I employ you to vote no on be one I I was born in 2002 one year before ice was created and This was an agency created as part of post-9-11 war on terror a time full of xenophobia racism and bigotry and That xenophobia xenophobia racism and bigotry cannot continue You cannot read out hatred in a system designed to uphold hate I
Request the you vote no on be one. Thank you And next will be Cynthia Dumas Cynthia you may now unmute
Hello, I am a resident and West Jordan. I'm obviously standing with everybody that has spoken on voting no on be one keeping ice out of our communities and not opting to have automated license plates be read I am an Immigrant from Mexico and I have come to love America and all the beauty that it is here And lately it is sad to see our own government and the people that we have voted into place not do their job I know there's a lot that you guys have to consider but this one should be easy Vote no keep ice out keep murderers out stop the killing You have a say and how to change the lives of the future How to write the history that people are going to be talking about Vote no keep ice out that is all I have to say. Thank you for your time and
And that was the final register comment on these items Members we have a motion mr. Chair. I'm with it accounts a closed the public hearing and refer items being one to be five to a Future consent agenda for action. Do I have a second second? Okay. I have a motion and a second All of those I need to call the vote so we can yes, but there's also time for discussion according to Roberts rules. Okay. I just wanted to clarify Be a one refers to the license plate readers and they currently that is on pause that is not included in this vote So the vote that was called action is specifically about items be one Be two be three before be five Those are related to other grants and forms and this is closing the public hearing because of those comments
I heard I just wanted to clarify that I'm gonna call the question all of those in favor say aye. Hi. Hi any opposed Okay Petro Sorry, I hear you this emotion is unanimous. We're going to move on to
Item and number six. This is another hearing is an ordinance for a consolidated fee schedule corrections for public utilities Before we begin taking comments Austin came out council policy analyst again is gonna give us a short introduction go ahead Austin Thanks Council This public hearing is regarding the Department of Public Utilities requests to correct the consolidated fee schedule by adding the missing title Firelines and description per inch to the rate table on the water section of the CFS During the most recent briefing on this item on December 2nd the council directed that Customers be credited for the per-inch portion of the fireline fees paid from July 1st 2025 Intel the CFS correct correction is adopted
Once the corrected language is adopted the full FY 26 fee structure will be implemented going forward This morning our office received a revised ordinance amending the fee and fee information in the CFS that ordinance has been sent to you via email. It's also included in your packets and the updated language is included intended to address transparency and ensure proper labeling of the fireline fees I've also I also have copies of that updated ordinance if any council member would like one or member of the public and A vote on this item is tentatively scheduled for January 20th. Thanks
Thank you. Thank you Austin. We're going to ask for comments on this item
Thank You mr. Chair we have two people registered to speak to this item the first will be Hannah Rex followed by Scott Nars Hannah you may now unmute You'll repeat the names again Hannah Rex online. I can message with them and we can move on to Scott Nars who's here in person Good evening My name is Scott Nars I'm a board member of the Harvard Park HOA a collection of 10 single family homes in district 6 We have a fire hydrant on our street that is classified as a private fire fire line Which is why we have concerns with this agenda item Issues with a new fire waterline fees first came to our attention with our August utility bill when we discovered fees had increased by 740% Since then we have had several interactions with DPU and the City Council on this matter
We have provided substantial information about our concerns to DPU City Council members and council staff Most of which would have not been addressed today as a supplement to this presentation I sent to the council's email comments account and were complete summary of our ongoing concerns With this ordinance proposal to correct the consolidated fee schedule DPU is asking the council to assist in covering over serious mistakes made an original budgeting process that violated city ordinances and normal budgetary procedures in this current process to fix the fee schedule There have been additional inaccuracies and violations of city ordinances that have required attention and rectification I will also know the DPU continues to charge customers
I've unpublished on approved rates for the fire water service another violation of city ordinance If the council approves the current ordinance proposal you will be complicit with these violations I hope that someone on the City Council will make a motion to table further considerations of this ordinance proposal Until council has had time to review the information we have provided if that is done I'm confident the council will agree you must reject the ordinance proposal and ask DPU to follow proper procedures by submitting a budget amendment request that fully justifies their rate proposal Resulting in a fee schedule that is clear concise and fully compliant with city ordinances. Thank you
And it doesn't appear that HANA recs is able to unmute so that will be the final register conanter for this item I will move for a look for a motion Mr. Chair, I move that the council close the public hearing and defer action to a future council meeting second motion by Councilmember Young and a second by councilmember Wharton Any discussion?
We're gonna call the question all those in favor say aye aye Okay, that passes unanimously we are moving on now to the There's no potential items to comments questions to the mayor from the City Council Are there any questions? Excuse me. Yes, I would like to take this time to ask some questions and I know the mayor's not here But I'd like to think Rachel Otto and Lindsey Nicola for being here me a second the questions I have for Mayor Mendenhall does Salt Lake City Police Department collaborate with immigration customs enforcement
Thanks councilmember for the question The Salt Lake City Police Department does not collaborate with ICE on immigration related operations we do collaborate with federal agencies on various criminal Oops, excuse me. Sorry on we do collaborate with federal agencies sometimes that does include ICE if we do have violent criminals in the city that That we're looking to apprehend but we do not collaborate with ICE on immigration related enforcement My second question to Salt Lake City Police Department contribute any funds data or other forms of assistance to ICE Again on the funding for immigration related enforcement No, we do not the data is a more difficult question and I can't answer That we would never share data with ICE if there is a circumstance where we have a violent criminal who may have an immigration
Issue that ICE would be involved in My third question is Salt Lake City Police Department entering into a 27g agreement the 287g agreement? No Salt Lake City doesn't hasn't and will not enter into one of those agreements That's never been the case. We won't enter into that agreement in my final question How can residents ensure their safety in the wake of ICE clandestine missions locally? I hope that it's clear to the council that the Salt Lake City Police Department is always Trying to do everything they can to ensure the safety of all of our residents regardless of immigration status Immigration status does not factor into how our police department makes decisions or approaches, you know criminal enforcement
We also and I think the council would agree We've done a lot to try to support peaceful protest in the city and that includes a lot of work by Salt Lake City Police Departments you ensure that protesters can and demonstrators can peacefully voice their opinions regardless of what those opinions are I think the city has also done quite a bit over the last six years to Become a welcoming and remain a welcoming city to all immigrants
We became in 2024. We officially we were officially certified as the first welcoming city in Utah This I think speaks volumes to what we've done to try to welcome residents from you know around the world into our city We also last year launched the future citizens path program where we're funding ways for residents to pursue permanent citizenship in the city and we'll continue to support that program adamantly and For years we've we've worked on the know your neighbor program where we're taught we try our best to connect residents from other parts of the world into the community and provide them the services they need to be able to live and thrive in Salt Lake City So I think the city is is
Doing everything we can to try to welcome residents from everywhere into the city and keep them safe and that won't change Thank you, mr. Chair. Are you old my time?
Thank you on behalf of the mayor's office. I appreciate the answers to those questions. I I was In the part of the process of the certification for our welcoming The council member Minor former consumer minor and the questions and how they interview the community to find out the impact that the city had and our programs for our refugee community Our immigrant community It's it's impressive to be the only city in Salt Lake in Utah to be to have had the technicians. So thank you for your leadership We're moving on now to the general comment portion of the section the over agenda this section is for For those in the public to wish to comment to any city business Which are not scheduled for a public hearing it is limited to a maximum of one hour
And only those individuals were registered to speak before 7 30 can can take advantage of it Our meeting rules apply to those general comments. Please avoid disruptions or threats I will ask any staff member to assist you out of the meeting if so Also as a reminder comments that include provided personal attacks intimidation or language or any are no persuasive or compelling to this council They are no helpful to create a respectful or safe environment the Let me see Please avoid interruptions so that we can use the time for as many people as possible To help make sure that there that as many people as possible can speak during that hour
Anyone in person should feel free to come up and stand in line when you hear your name called to make more efficient The process so we we try to hear from most of you If you reach the two-minute mark the host will announce time And your microphone will be muted if you are unable to finish your comment, please share the rest via email mail or you can call our office Contact information is listed at slc.gov slash council if you have a handout I remind you you can Show it and then staff council staff will grow it from you and give it to us
Let me we can start with Taylor we can start with our first general comment Thank you mr. Chair first will be Leah Reyes followed by Scott Johnson and then Audra Carlisle Leah is here in person Doesn't seem to be here Let's take a five-minute break Because there is people in the hallways and we want to make sure that they can hear and this building is old it doesn't have speakers everywhere and We're going to take five minutes So the council staff can roll out a TV to the those in the hallway to give them a chance to hear what we've been discussed here So if you allow us five minutes For that disruption while they they roll out the TV We're gonna come convene as a meeting back again in five minutes
So those need a little break It's fun thing Okay So I think we have a TV on the hallway it has a few seconds of delay because of tech They're gonna try to solve that Those seconds of delay for for them are worried is that some of the people that we're calling? To speak maybe in the hallway and they don't know they're being called in so we're trying to bridge that We're doing our best here. I think our council staff The IMS the recorder's office the attorney's office the mayor's office all of the Dozens of staff that are among all of us to try to make sure that this runs very smoothly So we have passed the clock When we make that that that little pause for for this technology break So we're gonna restart the clock Taylor. Can you start calling the next speaker?
This will be Scott Johnson followed by ajra Carlisle and then in Canada Kale Aquina and then Fane Harris Scott you may now unmute hello Good evening and happy new year. I'm going to defer my time to another occasion And next will be ajra Carlisle followed by in Canada and then Kale Aquina Fane Harris and then TJ young
You may not unmute Good evening everybody. My name is Aldra Carlisle and I'm a resident here in Salt Lake City in Chris Wharton's district in the Marmalade neighborhood I'm proud to be from Salt Lake City and I love my home. I'm a public educator I love my work with my students here in Utah. I love my neighbors. I love that as an out queer woman I'm able to share my life with my lovely wife here in Utah And I'm so lucky to be part of a community that makes me feel safe respected and part of something bigger than myself With that not everyone in our city has access to that same sense of safety And it is my and our civic responsibility to stand up and demand better We cannot stand idly by while so many of our neighbors are profiled terrorized and killed by immigration and customs enforcement
Always but especially in the last year city councils here to support and protect our community And one way it can help our most vulnerable is by refusing voluntary cooperation with ICE Both our mayor Aaron Mendenhall and you are elected city council leadership Have the power and duty to require judicial warrants before any city resources are accessed by ICE Ensure that no city funds staff or faculties are ever used for federal immigration enforcement Pass a resolution calling for ICE to be abolished mandate public reporting for all interactions with federal agencies and provide resources to our most vulnerable community members through partnerships with immigration rights advocacy Advocacy organizations as historian and philosopher and Holocaust refugee Hannah Rn once said in politics obedience and support are the same
Silencing in action makes our city complicit council members I urge all of you to consider the options available to you right now and to stand up and fight back against federal overreach how you can Please do the right thing by your constituents. Thank you for your time
Next will be in Canada followed by Kayla Kina Wayne Harris TJ young and then Ethan Meljom and his hearing person And Canada District 2 everyone attending to our action today is masked to protect one another and the disabled community from further Code infections code remains an empirical public health threat Last time I organized here. I was laughed at dismissed dehumanize and ultimately censored I Was called the terrorist for naming our nation's participation in genocide and humanization But I'm here again to thank the humanity of the undocumented and those who stand with them, which is antithetical to terrorism It is actually resistance to dehumanization all under the specter of your six zero censorship vote
During the ceasefire movement our cries were too loud and too righteous when we named the genocide of the Palestinians Conveniently distant from this valley But the genocide is not distant anymore. Is it you are now seeing how it is all connected? I am not your enemy, but a defender of freedom We're storing an unlimited public comment period is the bare minimum City Council must use its legal authority to obstruct ice locally and protect our community from unconstitutional action that is creating terror The message being sent is clear Stand for humanity and justice be black or brown and you risk state sanctioned murder Much of this council could be the target of ice Sarah yang you could be when a bomb right good. Excuse me
So I asked you a latin a majority and a queer majority will you finally side with the people and defend us or continue serving a collapsing order One that terrorizes us at home prepares genocide against us and feels imperial violence abroad History does not ask if you were polite it asks what you did We listen to this omen time will tell see you at the next public comment Next is Kayla Akina followed by fiend Harris TJ young Ethan meljom and Alice kunkle Kayla is here in person Kayla is not but Kylie Akina is here. I am in district five
Once again, my name is Kylie Akina. I am in district five We meet again a side note I'd feel personally a lot safer if a certain city council didn't ask police if they could arrest us Last year or last time we came or restrict our ability to participate in basic civic action to one hour, but I digress Liberty and justice for all is pretty generous to repeat at this time when laws are rapidly changing the definition of a violent criminal To target brown and black immigrants and increasing the criminalization of homeless people and trans individuals So this moves far beyond any 287 g agreements But I am glad that we have this on the record that you disagree to those Or the mayor at least Salt Lake City decision-makers time is actually running out
So we have to decide one how long it will take to act before the not comes to your door and to whose side you will be on In a time of government overreach psychological warfare extreme cruelty and suppression. It is time we raise our bar We demand that you step it up and get ahead of what we have seen in Minnesota in LA in Philadelphia, Oregon and in West Valley We're exercising our rights tonight and we'll continue to do so even with extreme restrictions for a basic meeting So ask yourself when you get home tonight in the same comfort Keith Porter or Renee Brown should be going home to Ask yourself Will you stand in defense of the people that you claim to act in behalf of or will you wait until it's someone you know?
Next is pain Harris followed by TJ young Ethan Meljom Alice Conkel and then Jake Helen Pain is here in person My name is Fauna Harris and I live in South Salt Lake and I work downtown at a community resource center for LGBTQ plus youth young adults and families Just like many people in this room and on this council I'm the proud daughter of immigrants and I worry about my family members the kids and young adults I work with and my friends every day for risk of profiling and kidnapping by the federal agency ice It is because of this that I'm asking the city council to protect our community by turning your compassion into action I know that no one condones the separation of families discrimination and murder as I've seen many statements from council members
And our mayor disgusted by the illegal actions of this federal agency However, without a clear plan refusal to cooperate in all aspects Residents are left unprotected and the responsibility has fallen on a lot of your constituents And it's time for action and the council and the mayor have the power and the duty to do more I'm seeing too many of your constituents putting their bodies on the line like armed queers Westside boundaries and community data is unit so regardless of collaborating with ice because So regardless of collaborating with ice I ask you what about door-to-door knocks What are the protections for the people on the ground?
Are we redefining the word criminal because look at how we treat our unhoused population? And what does that mean if they're undocumented and how are we protecting everyone because governing officials don't have the best history of recognizing everyone as human are we collaborating and building bridges with grassroots organizations and organizers that we've previously harmed and And they've been predicting this for years. So when we use the term unprecedented it really hasn't been unprecedented We've been saying this. It's not a matter of when it's not a matter of if but when So I'd like to emphasize the statements of my peers and neighbors and say that as someone that sits on several coalitions advisory boards
And that has people rely on them. I know the struggle of feeling like I'm in over my head And so it's important and balancing the scope and bandwidth So it's important to ask what are the things in my control and am I doing all of it? And so rest in peace jay me garcia, Keith porter, rene good and the additional and the 30 additional people murdered by ice this past year
That is tj young followed by ethan meljam alice kung gold jake hurling and then alice ward tj is here in person
My name is tj. I'm a resident of salt lake city. I am uniquely informed out of ice activity As i've been running a virtual ice watch with over 20 000 local bonsley latino Community members for 356 days now It's community led People send me photos and tips and I verify the information over the year we've witnessed repeated disregard for both constitutional and human rights Of hardworking Tax-paying beloved community members the majority of whom have no criminal record at all We've seen federalized agents lie repeatedly about incidents to try and drum up federal charges We've seen them force random store customers to lie on the ground and hold them at gunpoint And we've seen them kidnap a woman with legal status to get her husband to surrender in her place
You won't hear most of these stories because families are too afraid to share and while most incidents happen on the west side Even the ones with in salt lake city violate people's fourth amendment rights against warrantless racially profiled stops And Unreasonable searches they violate their fifth amendment right to do process and they lead to detainment in deplorable inhumane confinement conditions Where they are cold hungry dirty humiliated?
Disrespected and worse. I believe we're being shielded from what's happening in blue states like minnesota By our blue dot status within an otherwise red state. I understand you think you're doing all you can But there's still more that salt lake city and slcpd can do I'm running out of time, but I'll be sending a follow-up memo tonight with specific actions you can take thank you for your time
Next is ethan meljom followed by alice kungal jake heling Alex ward and then marvin hamilton ethan is here in person
Hi there. My name is ethan meljom. I live in district one Up in ros park specifically It's very diverse place with a lot of different cultures. That's something I really love about it And something i'm that i'm very proud of Something that's been very troubling to me lately is seeing the number of cities and sheriff's offices in utah that have voluntarily partnered with ice On a national scale we've seen so much harm come from ice in communities that have both welcomed ice and also been vocal about not wanting ice in their community Most recently in minneapolis with the killing of rnay good To my mind if slc wants to be that place of inclusion of diversity and taking care of its constituents
I want to reiterate that the city needs to give us assurances as well as follow-through That it will refuse to voluntary voluntarily cooperate with ice and information sharing Access to city resources and facilities funding and staff as well as 287 g agreements with law enforcement Um, there was some talk of courage in the meeting earlier. I'm asking you to be courageous in the face of the federal government and croaching on our rights and harming our residents And to follow-up I also would like to reiterate the importance of educating its citizens Ice loses much of their power when they are confronted with citizens and residents who know their rights What is solic city currently doing to educate its residents about their rights and about their interactions with ice?
And what more can we expect from city from the city in regards to educating the public regarding their rights in your jurisdiction? Thank you
Just before we before we call in the the next public speaker another one i take too much time You know the the snapping is not within the rules of the quorum We we we know you're agreeing. We we see it. Uh, so please let's let's keep them moving fast And next speaker, please Next is alice kungkul followed by jake heling alix ward marvin hamilton and then gary clark Now's a reminder all commenters can head into the room and be ready to speak near the podium And alice is here in person Good evening. My name is alice kungkul and i'm a resident of holiday Rest in peace jamee garcia rene good and the 30 other souls murdered by ice this past year I'm here because I love and care deeply about my salt lake neighbors and community
As well as the american values of due process and equal protection under the law as in trying by our constitution Ice represents discrimination cruelty and chaos all antithetical to salt lakeers values So i'm asking the city council to protect our community By refusing voluntary cooperation with federal enforcement and ice Do not be complicit Stand up and fight back You have the power and duty to enact the following seven actions Required judicial warrants before any city resources are accessed pass a resolution calling for the abolition of ice mandate public reporting on interactions with federal agencies Provide educational resources and partner with immigration rights organizations fund community advisory bodies that monitor residents rights
Ensure no city funds staff or facilities are used for federal immigration enforcement Restore unlimited public comment so all our voices can be heard Please act to defend our safety and constitutional rights. Thank you
Is jay kelling followed by alice ward marvin hamilton gary kork and then kupra kaf steel jaykis hernkers
Thank you all for your earlier assurances on your passivity on ice Extra judicially kidnapping civilians without warrants while wearing a ski mask and refusing to identify oneself is not a legitimate government Activity for any government official in any nation and yet that is the daily business of ice an illegitimate fascist paramilitary gang and human trafficking cartel Full of degenerate criminals who are committing vile and plainly illegal acts of terrorism against our community and communities around the country In the name of their petafile king and yet inexplicably our municipal officials have failed to make any effort to exercise The abundance of legal options available to them in order to end these heinous crimes
I would remind our municipal officials that utah is a constitutional carry stand your ground state Meaning that utahns have the legal right to open carry firearms and to use them decisively if they face an immediate and unlawful threat of violence I'm a firearm owner myself if a masked thug attempted to violently abduct one of my loved ones Then my every conceivable principle of morality rationality and the law itself I would be irrefutably within my rights to gun that man down our municipal officials should be on their knees thanking the people of the city for our Unthinkable restraint and not exercising that right as we would even now be duly justified in doing But the time for restraint quickly approaches its end as ice now claims the right to execute dissidents in the street
I know you'll say it's your job to protect order and protect peace But there is no order and there is no peace instead of protecting ghosts protect us If you don't want to see the streets of the city become a war zone between the republican gashtoppo And the people whom you should have protected then protect us Otherwise we will be forced to communally protect ourselves and each other from these nazi cockroaches as a consequence of your spinelessness And you will be culpable for the chaos that follows
Next will be alex ward followed by marvin hamilton gary quark kuber castile and then as walledow ponce de de lion alex is here in person gonna pivot a little bit from The common theme here Good evening city council members. My name is alex ward and I live in the popular grove neighborhood on solace west side I'm here to formally introduce the memo I provided regarding the proposed sewer treatment bio tower at 10 20 west pyrpont Avenue plan less than 100 feet from homes in the residential neighborhood I want to be clear I'm not here to oppose this technology And i'm not asking you to permanently stop the project Even at this location My request is simple require the city to classify this project correctly under the solace city code as a conditional use permit
So resident residential safeguards apply As currently classified the burden is being placed on the residents to prove the system is unsafe Instead of the system being required to prove through the proper legal process that it is safe and compatible before it's built And even though residents are being forced to carry the burden Here we haven't been given the time or documents needed to evaluate the safety and compatibility We're still waiting on grammar records. This process has been rushed residents expected time to evaluate impacts But the second public meeting was scheduled less than two weeks after the first While the project continued advancing ground breaking could begin as soon as monday and without a pause
From the council the neighborhood may lose its chance to meaning for meaningful review before construction begins And I want to address urgency according to the public utilities records reported today There have been only 10 odor complaints in the last five years This does not justify rushing a 2.5 million dollar facility into a residential area without proper review council members poplar grove is too often overlooked we already have With some of the worst air quality burdens in the state and residents fear we are being asked to accept infrastructure that could never be placed in homes in the east side
I Thank you. Thank you Time is up. Thank you Thank you Thank you. We thank you that the two minutes have finished there is a meeting for that For that on January 15th at the public utilities west campus. So I'm looking forward to attending that too evening My name is Marvin Hamilton assault lake city native And an absolute privilege to be here. We want to thank all of you We're encouraging the commitment that it takes to do what you're doing to be to represent Salt Lake City Perhaps you're noticing a theme here tonight That's because it isn't business as usual It's no longer business as usual
We're 77 years old next week I've lived my life in safety except for one years in infantrymen in Vietnam
If he would have told me anywhere in my life that the biggest threat To my community would be my own government. I could not have conceived of that I'm obviously and probably will remain safe but many of my neighbors were not I'm so encouraged to hear I was here a year ago to thank you all and congratulate you on salt lake city status national recognition as a friendly city and would invite you out to revisit Somebody criteria by which they they measure that And much of that has to do with the safety of all of the citizens in particular those who are most vulnerable essentially immigrants, okay, it breaks my heart To think that so many of my neighbors should have to live in fear of the government of the united states and the country that was founded on diversity
and freedom Thank you for the privilege. Thank all of you all for your incredible comments tonight for the privilege piece
Who'll be Gary Clark followed by uber custeel then also pumped a daily on samantha shribes and then hobby air gary's here in cerson Good evening. Thank you again as marv said for being here and for the work that you're all doing for our city um has been some important comments tonight and mine might not seem So important at first I want to talk to you about symbolism In our city we have streets named after some of the great humans that we've all had all been influenced by including mike luther king and including harvey milk recently I was made aware of An emphasis by a latin's representative Trevor lee that he thinks it would be a good idea to rename um Harvey milk boulevard to charlie kirk boulevard or some something similar and he was saying that
That in so doing That he believes charlie kirk is more representative of what utah is then harvey milk was and I just want to say The truth could not be further this could not be further from the truth I also just recently learned that it doesn't matter what trev really says that he doesn't have any influence on the naming of streets in salt lake City that this august body right here does and so i'd like to encourage all of you to dig in your heels to ignore trev really and to do the right thing and that is to leave Harvey milk boulevard names just as it is and ignore the effort to rename it after charlie kirk And finally I watched the charlie kirk murder and it was awful And the rene good murder was awful and I am no advocate of murder
But nor am I an advocate of renaming a street in our city after someone with Um the attitude that charlie kirk used to bring to our country. So thank you
Next will be kubercuss Let's remember the snapping is not within the rules, please
Supercut deal as well do pomps a daily on samantha shrive's havi air and then kelton baker We're go ahead. Um, I don't know about the rest of you, but I never have a difficult time ignoring trev really I actually find it quite satisfying um I Wanted to respond to something that the gentleman who served in vietnam said earlier when he said that he might be safe But his neighbors aren't um this year in the united states We have seen the onset of an unprecedented acceleration in democratic backsliding We have seen an administration that has waged an all-out war on the separation of powers on checks and balances and on the rights afforded to us by the constitution It is not a coincidence that that same administration has doubled ices personnel
It has given it funding larger than most sovereign military forces in the entire world Um, I think that u.s. District judge william yong aragon appointee keep in mind Said it quite well when he said that ice goes masked for a single reason To terrorize americans into quiescence Can you imagine a masked marine? It is a matter of honor and honor still matters in all of our history We have not tolerated an armed masked secret police and why would we start now?
When so much even the constitution itself is at stake Lincoln in his second annual address to congress on june 1st 1862 said that we cannot escape history It will light us with honor or dishonor to the next generation I would encourage all of you to keep that in mind all of us to keep that in mind as we remind ourselves of what our role is In knowing our rights and standing up for our rights and in preventing what we all see Which is an armed masked secret police invading our communities trampling upon our rights and disregarding the constitution with disgusting glee Thank you Next is as well do pomps a daily on samantha shrives havi year helton baker and then gabriella de el-a vera as well doe is here in person
Um, hello city council My name is as well do I live in district four Before I begin, I'd like to thank council member lopez Chavez and the mayor's office for answering those questions earlier Um, it does give us some reassurance Um, I'm here as an immigrant and a concerned community member a little over a year ago I brought up my concerns about immigration enforcement in our city and I'm here to do it again We have amazing community organizers like kimonita usunidas doing work on the ground to protect our immigrant neighbors And although they do an amazing job, we need more support from our city leaders I echo my fellow commenters demands that we
You know The city does not collaborate with ice or fund it anyway Um, you know as a community we stand in solidarity with all marginalize people around the world and we're asking the city to stand with us And finally I'd like to say rest in peace to jaymi garcia Renee good and the 30 plus other people who have been murdered by ice this last year. Thank you for your time
Next is samantha shrives havi year kelton baker Gabrielle de olevera and then kyla leishman samantha's here in person
Hi, my name is samantha shrives shrives s h r i v e s I wasn't expecting to be here tonight. So unfortunately I didn't have enough time to write something as intentional and passionate as I would like
As a white straight cisgendered woman with privilege who was born and raised in salt lake city utah specifically west jordan I wouldn't feel right to sit back and watch the foul Inhumane and sick Infidelity and bigotry that is flowing in our country just because it doesn't apply to me To sum up what I have to say i'm disappointed we the people do not deserve this our country is not great It is corrupt and not just as americans but as human beings we deserve better Two minutes is not long enough for me to properly express how outraged and disgusted and disappointed I am in the state of our country 38 people have been murdered by ice 32 and 2025 and six in 2026 So all I ask for everyone in this room is to take 38 seconds of silence with me one for every life that has been taken by ice
Starting now it is our responsibility to say something and with all due respect it is your responsibility to do something. Thank you
Next is hobby air followed by kelton baker gabriella de la vera Kaila leashman and then lisa read hobbyers here in person Thank you for taking the time to listen to me My name is hobby era. I came to the united states when I was a child And my family picked utah because of its reputation to be a safe state
I ask you please to put yourselves in the shoes of a child Who is just arrived to the united states who cannot speak english? Who has a dread and a stomach every time his parent goes out and doesn't know whether or not they'll be coming home They're looking outside a window Looking for any sign that their parent is going to come home to them on that day and imagine repeating that every day until this nightmare is over This state fasties itself for protecting its children And what I says is not anything that protects children The same trauma that any child predator inflicts on a child is the same that ice and flits on a child The separation from their parents is nothing more dangerous or more harmful than anything a child predator does
Ice is a child abuse force and you need to protect us from them. Thank you
Is kelton baker followed by gabriella de la vera kelle leashman lisa read and then maria walker kelton syrin's Thank you I was born and raised here in u-tah I've lived in solid city in rose park for more than 20 years I've even ran for office. I've been very committed to the community I've been typically known as a conservative. I want to say in regards to the statements about ice tonight I stand with every single of those statements even those radical ones. This is unprecedented time Thank you Is gabriella de la vera kelle leashman lisa read heria walker and then my low Myers gabriella is here in person My name is gabriella. I live in district seven. I immigrated to the united states when I was six years old
um councilman you spoke earlier about community and endurance in the face of pressure to disappear Um, and I think that your words are more important than ever during a time like this The city council and the mayor have a responsibility to protect our community. However they can and this means refusing Voluntary cooperation with ice without clear refusal to cooperate Residents are unprotected and the city is complicit As an immigrant and as a human being I feel unsafe and I feel outraged And I think that we should all be outraged. Um, our neighbors are being taken from their homes by mask men armed with guns and paper thin legal authority Ice is in utah right now Um a few months ago a university of utah student was taken by them and held in detention for several days
This city cannot be welcoming or be a safe place for immigrants while it allows ice to operate with impunity Now more than ever you need to stand not only with the immigrant community that makes up such a big part of slc But to stand with all of your constituents because any attack on human rights is an attack on all of our human rights Because of this we are asking the city council and the mayor to fight back by enacting all of the actions that my peers have recommended Thank you I'm going to take a moment of uh to uh find jasmine norman who dropped Uh a credit card Um, and it's here with linsey. So if you know adjustment norman, please
Let linsey here. Uh know that we have the their credit card. Okay. Next commenter Next is kyla leashman followed by leece arid maria walker my low mires and john granary kyla's here in person
Hello and good evening. My name is kyla and i'm a resident of solic city utah i've born and raised here. This is my home
vice president jd vance defended jonathan ross the ice agent who murdered rene good in minneapolis saying that he has absolute immunity And was doing his job meanwhile minnesota law enforcement officials have said that the fbi has blocked them from participating in an investigation When asked if there were limits to his power trump replied Yeah, there is one thing my own morality my own mind It's the only thing that can stop me In regards to the solic city police department's collaboration with ice only in the case of violent criminals i ask Who decides the definition of a violent criminal trump in his own morality Last year it was argued that only violent criminals will be deported by ice Currently there are people being snatched from the streets their cars their homes
Council you have a unique responsibility to act in accordance with the safety and well-being of all who reside here We have reached a pivotal time in our lifetimes Where a position must be taken a side must be chosen
The council must be explicit in their position and refuse voluntary cooperation with federal enforcement Without a clear refusal to cooperate residents are left unproductive Silence or inaction makes the city complicit. We cannot afford For you to live in fear of preemption by the state We are standing up and fighting back And the council must stand up and fight back Well this council act to defend our safety and constitutional rights or stand aside while this assault continues Thank you for your time Next is lisa read followed by maria walker my lo mire's john gregory and then mj powell he says here in person
Hello council. Thank you first of all for your attention to everyone's comments today. My name is lisa read. I live in ball park. Hello Um, welcome to the new city council members who have just sworn their oaths that they will support obey and defend The constitution of the united states and the constitution constitution of the state of utah To be honest the u.s. Constitution was written to defend the rights of the people who enslaved by ancestors So i'm not as big as fan, but it has some good things
And considering your oath you've sworn to protect support and defend the fourth amendment the people's right against unreasonable searches and seizures The fifth amendment the people's right to not be deprived of life liberty of property without due process of law The sixth amendment the people's right to a lawyer a speedy trial and a confrontation of the evidence against them The eighth amendment the people's right against cruel and unusual punishments and please note By the letter of the constitution these rights apply to the people on us soil not just its citizens The executive branch of our federal government has abandoned the u.s. Constitution They have artificially empowered ice with mandates to suppress the rights of these rights and others
And they have declared ice's ability to murder people in cold blood with quote absolute immunity Both in the streets and behind closed doors in their facilities It is a clear and present danger and we the people simply cannot let it slide by and continue uninhibited This makes it a difficult but absolutely vital time to hold an office such as yours that is sworn to uphold the u.s. Constitution To truly do your duty to the people of salt lake you are being required to work against the actions of our federal executive branch This job will demand your bravery conviction steadfastness as well as your constant access to empathy and connection with the people you're sworn to represent I appreciate the magnitude of this position
And I will stand behind you and beside you as you take bold actions that we have all been asking for to protect our city So to that end i'm echoing the requests from my comments here To ask the council
Is maria walker followed by my lamai yours jon gregory mj powell and megan maria is here in person Good evening. Um, my name is maria walker and I was born and raised here in salt lake city Um, I am here today to strongly encourage all of you to vote to keep ice out of utah and to reiterate what my community has been saying here tonight I am a first gen brooding american My family came here to give me more opportunities to give me a voice to give me the life they never had I'm here today to use the privilege they gave me the voice they gave me to advocate for the individuals have been who have been brutalized Murdered and kidnapped by ice. These people were my people are people americans people
Ice agents hide behind their masks and federal trump administration as a front to justify their inhumane actions because they know They are doing is unconstitutional It's disgusting. They want to strip us of our culture our heritage our livelihood our freedoms and our rights Most of the buildings you drive past here in downtown perhaps even the one we are standing in right now Have been built by immigrants minorities Americans This country has been built by a mayor by immigrants. We are nothing without our diversity Vote to keep ice out remember that silence is compliance Think about what side of history you want to be on and be remembered by thank you
That's is my little my rules of the quorum
My little Myers Joan Gregory mj pal Megan and then korean are my those here in person Good evening. My name is my little Myers Um, I just want to start by saying everyone on the council and everyone behind me all knows That ice and acts the will of a totalitarian brutalist and imperialist Will and there is no freedom while ice is around. I don't know how Anyone can accept that they are running around communities Invading schools workplaces abducting people from their homes with zero due process as soon as one person in this country has zero due process the entire entire country has zero due process when when are we gonna accept that when are we gonna accept the fact that They can knock on your door label use a terrorist label use a thug and you can't say anything about it because they've been doing it to hundreds of people throughout many years
I don't know how we can stand here and accept what's been going on in our community and I hope that you guys can all Do more than strongly condemn what ice is doing. Um, I don't know what strongly condemning them will do But it's time to take action. It's time to rise up and it's time to come together as a people against ice And against the injustice that's the injustice that's going on throughout the society It's been running rampant for many years and it's been taking too much time for the people to rise up Um I'm proud of everyone who's been here to speak on behalf of immigrants Citizens or non-citizens alike everyone deserves human rights everyone deserves due process Thank you Next is Joan Gregory followed by mj paul megan green r and then mike allen john is here in person
My name is jon gregory and I have lived in salt lake cities since 1987 I'm the granddaughter of Italian immigrants They weren't treated this way We didn't treat immigrants this way
I'm here to encourage you To take positive action for immigrants in our great city To encourage you to proactively stop any semblance of voluntary cooperation with ice Not signing a 287 g agreement is a great and important step But it's not enough It's just the beginning And you have to look for every single way that you can possibly do anything to protect Our families our neighbors our friends
In reality, it's the way you implement that non agreement That non agreement up to 87 g That matters When you encounter ice require a legitimate but judicial warrant a current warrant For the exact person a warrant given signed by a judge All must be present for before allowing ice access to any city resources at all by which I mean city staff funds facilities No, none of these should be used for federal immigration enforcement be transparent Be creative Collaborate with our local organizations that are supporting immigrants Check in with them. I hope you've been taking notes today. You have heard lots of ways that you could be Helping our immigrant community and not
Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Time is up Time is up. Thank you. It was mj Powell followed by Megan korean are Mike allen and elects is love it. I'm jay, you may now unmute I would like to begin by saying I acknowledge that we are on sacred indigenous lands So while I respect the quorum chair and council I believe your town should be equally as respectful to the constituents you're serving
Good evening council members mayor chief and district attorney I'm hate tonight to speak to concerns. I raised in november And early December regarding the growing threat posed by integration and customs enforcement and homeland security investigations abusing their authority Disregarding constitutional due process and endangering lives Let me be clear constitutional rights are unalienable. They do not disappear based on immigration status Immigrants are entitled to due process dignity and life What should align this all is that disabuse of powers no longer confined to immigrants alone And we have seen it extend our american citizens including veterans and the widow Who experienced it was a veteran?
People who served the country while some of us sit in chairs sign contracts and make special deals of billionaires If we need to make it that personal we really can And i've worked too hard to watch this city go to waste Particularly when I met half of y'all in 2020 when I was on the front lines of this equity movement called the racial equity uprisings The social contract is dissipating and we are going back backwards You need to put your heels down and make sure that the citizens and constituents of the city know that you're on our side On the right side of history This is not a job I'm here working as a public Activists as a official and a non official capacity affiliated with the non A non-partisan organization called the nnacp the boldest oldest history
Civil rights organization that we will hold you accountable
Next will be Megan followed by koreen r Mike allen alexis lebit and then diane lewis Megan is here in person Can we call the next name? Next is koreen r followed by mike allen alexis lebit diane lewis and bian pantel koreen is here in person
Okay, who's next? Mike allen alexis lebit diane lewis brian pantel and fran lopus mike should be here in person
Alexis are you here mike are you here? Alexis My name is alexis. I live in district five Good evening council members. Thank you for your service to our community On january 8th in st. Paul, minnesota Silvia bernays a mother and door dash worker Ran into a customer's home after being pursued by ice agents The home owner also a mother with her toddler currently in the home called her local police department for guidance
Despite the ice agents failing to produce and warrant The local police department told the home owner that she had to turn mis-brenes over to ice Or risk the agents rating her home and or charging charging her with harboring a fugitive As a mother myself the worst thing that I can imagine is being separated from my children I cannot imagine the terror that both of these women faced During this scenario and although this scenario unfolded in a different city Similar scenarios will undoubtedly be unfolding right here in salt lake if we don't take action I want to reiterate that we are asking the city council to require judicial warrants before any city resources are accessed To pass a resolution calling for abolition of ice
to mandate public reporting on interactions with federal agencies To provide educational resources and partner with immigration rights organizations To fund community advisory bodies that monitor residents rights and to ensure that no city funds Staff work facilities are used in federal immigration enforcement I know it is not an easy time to be a public servant I imagine that many of you wish that you could focus solely on making decisions regarding simpler matters And I doubt that any of you want what is currently happening in our country to be happening But in the words of Gandalf So do all who live to see such times but that is not for them to decide All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us
I believe the council will rise to the occasion and do everything and its power to protect this community from passage Thank you Next is diane luis followed by brian pental fran lopez oak robin and then daniel romero garero dans here in person Hi, i'm diane luis. I am a resident of district one and I work in district four um Much as the murders of nichol good and george floyd were separated by five years and less than a mile Underlining the continuity of the violence of the american state So is our cities violence toward our homeless neighbors a through line with the violence particularly from the federal government toward undocumented folks refugees immigrants native americans And many other black and brown residents in our city
I'm really asking you As the city council to consider the way that you're treating all of the vulnerable people in the city Rather than assuming you've done enough Just because it's more than many other cities in utah, that's a pretty low bar to clear
I don't know if this is something that salt lake city does if it is I would ask that you reconsider this and pass um And prohibit this among city law enforcement from asking about country of birth or immigration status when in taking people's law enforcement um There are already avenues that we have to address violence and crime in the city and well Boy, how do you do? I think that those avenues are imperfect none of them actually require um working with ice. What are we doing for people who are residents or citizens of the united states? Why are we working with ice in any capacity on those law enforcement?
activities Um as another speaker who said I know you think you are doing everything you can uh, however urging you As a 15 year resident of the city to listen to those who are most affected by the actions of immigration customs enforcement And i've been working on these issues for years about what else there is still to be done because I promise you it is not everything Thank you for your time Next is brian pantle followed by fran lopez ochrobin, daniel romero garraro and then walker mire brian is here in person
hello council Long time listener first time commenter my name is brian pantle and i'm a resident district seven council member young is my representative on the city council And i'm here today to ask the eight of you well nine of you uh To go beyond politics beyond the pressure of the moment and rise to the real needs of the people who live here Times have changed in our community is feeling that change in a very real and frightening way Right now ice is operating in our city and cities around us and creating fear When widespread fear prevents vulnerable residents from attending school or work It's a clear sign that our community is neither safe nor healthy I know that each of you is courageous
Thoughtful deeply committed to the city you have shown that courage before
You showed it during the windstorms you showed it during covid
And you showed it during the fires of minstree and you showed it the moments you
You decided that you needed to do it was challenging because it's essential to do it Like selecting the new city flags to reflect who we are as a community I am asking you to bring that same resolve to this moment offer the over the last few months in conversations with some of you and the members of your staff Some things stood out to me even people who work inside this building my friends Express fear for their own families. That tells me this isn't abstract. It's not politics Steeply personal I'm not asking for answers tonight. I'm asking for your leadership
convene And come up with a plan to help our our city Thank you next will be fran locus followed by oak robin daniel romer agararo Walker mire and then benjamin zochim mittle fran is here in person
Hi again, i'm fran seriously tricked I Am here to echo What everybody has been saying and asking the city council to protect our community by refusing voluntary cooperation with the federal enforcement Agency known as ice I appreciate the whole rigamarole of asking the mayor questions and trying to placate us. I don't feel placated. I feel afraid Um, I'm asking this council to require judicial warrants before any city resources are accessed Pass a resolution calling for the abolition of ice mandate public reporting on interactions with federal agencies Provide educational resources and partner with immigration rights organizations fund community advisory bodies that monitor residents rights ensure no city funds staff or facilities are used for federal immigration enforcement and i'd also like the council to
Um, go back to unlimited comment periods because I think it's stupid that you guys did away with that in the first place Um, I was here. I was part of the group that you were trying to you know not hear from anymore when you created that rule And uh, I hope that you guys are still uh being annoyed because we're not going anywhere. So, um It's still have 50 seconds and I just want to say If let's follow let's follow the rules. I can see your fingers. So am I getting my time back for you?
Hold on. I you know, I'm the chair of this this council right now and i'm gonna make it quite quick pass Let's respect the rules of the quorum that you know you that it's the respect of the speaker respect of everybody else here So now you can have your time back. Thank you so much. I do feel respected by the stamps by the way way more than anything you guys have ever done So i'll conclude with that but uh, thanks
Next will be oak robin followed by daniel romer ogarro walker mire benjamin zochimital And then nick bernard. Oh, you may now unmute Hello, my name is oak robin and I am a resident of mary I would like to echo what all of my constituents and comrades have been saying tonight I don't know that I can say much better than what they have ice is currently operating out of utah They're operating in our cities and they are harming our communities across the country They are currently profiling and murdering or kidnapping people And as city council members you all have not only an opportunity but a responsibility it is within your jurisdiction to
Ensure that no city funds staff or facilities are used for federal immigration enforcement You can require judicial warrants before any city facilities or records are accessed And you can support local community organizations that are advocating to protect people Including but not limited to orange queers community adas In west side brown bores and many others I could use your support
You can pass a resolution calling for the abolition of ice. They have no reason to exist except that to enact harm They're brutalizing our friends neighbors families and you are all complicit unless you do everything in your power to speak out and fight against the harm that's being done
Next will be daniel romero marrow garrillo followed by walker mire benjamin so chimitil Nick bernard and jet fennel daniels here in person My name is daniel. I am great and live and contribute to solid city As a community health working and dressing social determinants of health that are created by different forms of oppression In that I once acknowledged people murdered by eyes this year rest in peace jama garcio rene good keef porter Including 30 and counting that have felt the human right to migrate I want to highlight the efforts of kunis me thus solid county mcgum people's agenda to protect community members in response to the tragedy That is eyes and the administrations that have fueled it
In that same recognition I want to highlight the commitment that solid city made to immigrants and refugees in september 2024 when it was recognized as a welcoming city And being reminded of the three star certification from welcoming america sought by the city I'm asking the city council to protect the community by refusing voluntary cooperation with federal enforcement to take some time to reflect on the implications of state violence and the long term harms on communities as a whole and finding the crucial opposition to harmful ideologies that limit Communities abilities to thrive and collective overall safety of the city without a create clear refusal to cooperate residents are left unprotected
Silence or inaction makes the city complicit the council and the may have the power and the duty to enact in what we as community members are large Demand as the following require you dishable wines before any city resources are accessed pass a resolution calling for the abolition of eyes mandate public reporting on interactions and federal agencies provide educational resources and partner with immigration right organizations Fund community advisory bodies that monitor residents rights ensure no city funds staff or facilities are used for federal immigration enforcement Restore unlimited public comment. So all of our voices can be heard We are here because we care and want to face this question together
Will this council act to defend our safety and constitutional rights or stand aside while this assault continues? Thank you Is Walker Meyer followed by Benjamin so chimitol Nick Bernard jet pannell and Kyle Hanson walkers here in person
Hi, my name is Walker I recently went to stolik city to start my PhD at the U and since then I found a really great community in Salt Lake And I'm really proud to be part of it. I I didn't quite know what I wanted to say when I came here and I think I just want to share my emotions. I We've all seen the abuse and the atrocities for mice. I don't think I need to convince any of you of that But I know too many people that seem to think that the people being targeted are living separate legal lives I am here today because I have the privilege to speak without fear for my livelihood and I'm white. I'm American my mother's family and my father's family have been here for as long as anyone can remember
But my sense of the American dream didn't come from my mom or my dad It came from my Chicano stepfather and the family stories that I had from him in 1910 my great great grandparents fled violence in the mexicana revolution and came to Texas Where they led their lives they met and they got married and they raised my grandfather all without ever learning how to read or write my grandfather a lifetime later graduated at the top of his class from medical school. He served in the navy he Opened a psychiatric practice in San Antonio, Texas to serve underprivileged spanish-speaking communities And he raised a son that went on to raise me and I am the man I am today because I grew up with this idea of the American dream
As I grew up my parents ran a small business out of our home Their employees all Latin American immigrants and many undocumented became some of our family's closest friends When I was young I played with their children as I got older. I worked with them on job sites during my summers off between school And when my mother got sick they were the first to take us food to take care of us to be there And after my mother died they were among the first to hug me while I cried So when I saw the video of morte vendettos dragged through the ossarlic city airport Streaming for help I know that she was invaluable to members of this community papers or not Please do something do anything That was one hour and we have two names left the next will be Benjamin
So chimitol and then nick vernard benjamin you may now unmute
Thank you Well, my name is benjamin shotimith. I'm a constituent from seratoga springs Representatives from the mayor's office and members of the council. Thank you very kindly for being here and for listening and before beginning I want to clearly state that I support many of the comments and positions raised by Really a number of the previous speakers From audra and ethan mj and others and i'm here to add my voice to those concerns What happens here?
Matters well beyond one city any one city and decisions made in utah's largest cities shaped the norms and expectations across the state So it's very important to me as well because the effect of my community I'm asking you to use the authority you already have to say no to grant funding and partnerships that support ice operations or Expanded surveillance and to draw a clear line against any policies Really any ones that cause harm to the people who live here and it matters now more than ever just because We're seeing utah agencies already in 287 g agreements with ice and dhs and additional programs have been proposed And that includes the construction of new facilities to support ice operations
And they're not small and they're not isolated decisions. They represent deeper and more permanent entanglement And the constitution of the united states was not written to be convenient It was written to restrain power and protections against unreasonable searches detention without due to process and so on matter most at the local level and Those people feel those consequences directly Um, we've seen a lot of this play out already new to ice agents staking out home depots and quiet and violent Dertainments on the west side and elsewhere and ice presence at the airport and these are not abstract policy debates People are going to work and traveling and simply being in public spaces and they don't feel safe
Um, I just want to say thank you very kindly. This isn't about being anti-safety or anti-government I just want you to listen and thank you for your time
Finally will be Nick Bernard who is here in person
Hello, thank you for allowing me to comment tonight Um, I also was here last year with a group of folks advocating for Palestinians and standing up against the genocide that is still happening in gaza and
I want to recognize that the council did take time to create a Peace resolution statement and I appreciate y'all taking the time to create that However, what was really needed
Was like action taking steps towards divesting funding and standing
You know raising your voice against State government However, I Everyone here has has spoken such beautiful words and advocated so well
About what's happening with ice I wanted to take a moment and just Talk about how ice and israel and what's happening in Palestine is connected And i'm just going to be reading Post from the institute of middle east understanding um Okay, sorry, I don't have a lot of time, but um Basically What you're seeing here the torture and the terrorization Of our citizens is happening in israel. It's been happening in Palestine the way they're treating people when they're detained um ice agents are being trained by the iof in israel
There's a connection there and
You know, um, it it needs their similarities. They're not coincidences and Um, both ice and israel military kill community members tear apart families and subject individuals to cruel and inhumane treatment inside their facility
Thank you all of those that share your comments um We have a Moment of privilege here being requested Consummeber Lopez-sharas. Thank you, mr. Chair
I want to thank everyone that came here today Uh, quiro agarada cedla a tola la familias que stanaki Stas representaname famili. I rasias poc porto tajer no staras comone dades Quiro agarada cedamino los carpenteros que stanaki So I want to thank the carpenters They actually stepped away But I just wanted to give them a shout-out because They're here trying to fight for their working rights and a lot of them are undocumented But they're also union members and so there's a great intersection that's happening here What I wanted to do was talk to each and every one of you in this room But actually I think it's more important that I talk to each of my colleagues here You've heard from staff members. You've heard from neighbors of ours
You've heard from even some of my relatives that were in the crowd today And many of us dedicate our time to protecting our neighborhoods I want you to turn your attention to the flags behind me
I want you to look at the resolutions that we pass for different communities I want you to look at how each of you negotiated with me even persuading me To go against my own values and morals and ethics And to try to negotiate for the betterment and the good of this city And I want you to consider Every historical context every time we've changed the moral conditions in which we codify city code In order to better and make an outcome that's better For the city and for each of our neighbors So it's not a political moment and you've heard this tonight genuinely
I'm scared and I share that fear I have many friends that have never felt this fear today And I've even more that are numbed by the horror that's happening And I know that many of us feel it in this room
So i'm asking each of you to stand with me and remember rene good To remember kyith porter Remember hi me garcia remember even hosar nandes Someone that passed away here in salt lake city somebody that was confused That was undocumented That was seeking due process And was fatally shot by our own police department and that's a mistake we need to own
So I know this issue feels far away from home and i'm here to tell you it's not I'm here to tell you that Myself at seven years old had my mother arrested By twin falls police department And then later by ice agents and by a miracle flood detention Thanks to the good work of attorneys representing her
And so it i hope this story that i share Is a reminder that we've been here before
And there are actual steps that cities can take to protect them And so these are traumatic events that haunt me They haunt my family They haunt many of you And thousands of salt Lakers that have marched for months now Asking for a solution they look to their federal leaders. There are none They look to their state leaders. There are none And so look at the many eyes staring at us today. They look at us They look at us because we're all they have left
We are the voices of our residents in our community in salt lake city We have a moral obligation We are the oath takers and we are being asked to protect them And there are steps we can formalize we even have a chief of police that is supportive of codifying this and has ensured me That we will not work with ice. So why are we afraid?
Why are we tolerating and accepting these circumstances?
There's never been a greater time to act There's never been a greater time to seize the moment
And if you're asking for permission Then i'm here to tell you you have a colleague on the council that is supportive And I want to thank the mayor's office for taking this seriously. I know how hard this work is and judiciously I also know that we can act together And so I look forward to these conversations because I know i'll be back And I know each of you will be too. Thank you
consumer This this this is not allowed This is this is not allowed. So we we don't allow that for anybody. So let's just keep the rules of the quorum, please uh, can remember karsten you want to Thank you chair as the newest member to this body last monday I took an oath And that oath wasn't to a person It wasn't to a community It was to the constitution to support defend and obey the constitution of the united states
And that means upholding our rights to peaceful assembly Free speech the ability of persons to address grievances with their governments And to ensure due process of any person in our country and in our city Thank you for your comments tonight Thank you to the mayor and the mayor's staff for her comments this evening
I appreciate you showing up And i've received what you've shared Thank you Okay Thank you so much for again. I you know There may be sometimes where Uh, some people might portray us as enemies because we are on this side of the aisle um But you uh are here in the most Progressive And you know forward looking Uh council and the state That has the most protections for our communities. There has an administration that works tirelessly to protect our neighbors Um, yes, are we perfect?
No, do we have places to grow and do better? Yes tons of it Um, all of us running for office We had an issue or two or a hundred of them that we want to influence and change um But I I want to make sure that we have the right perspective of who Uh, is doing harm to our communities and I appreciate all of you to to share your thoughts and I Would like to say that as a person of color with an accent um, uh as an immigrant myself Uh, I don't need to be lectured about these issues. I feel them myself So I I share those things with you Um, I understand from my neighbors. I live on the west side. I I understand from my neighbors I know what they are what what they are living I serve on the uta food bank
And I unfortunately hear the terror that some organ the ice is doing to our community Uh to the most needy in our community. So it might be funny to some of you But it isn't that funny to me and my neighbors So while you live while you where you are advocating for I thank you Um, but this body is not the enemy Um, do we have places to to improve and and and policies to to clarify? Yes, but the state level Uh is right now debating some policies that are To harm our community the legislature session starts in seven days or eight days. I believe Um, I hope that all of you show up in in those spaces and influence those policies that are being discussed that are made to harm Um, I hope that we remember who the real, uh, who those who are really trying to harm us are here. Um, and you
Uh, I encourage you to keep on showing up Uh, I encourage you to keep on making noise And and advocating for for our communities. Thank you Um, but it really is Uh, this city has the courage We have shown it by our policies and we can discuss with you where we are and in our policies right now You might not believe us, but we can go and dig in if you want to and maybe we find spaces that we can do better Um, there are also Opportunities to lose the little ground that we have if we if we uh, if we are too careless And what will happen if we uh, if we ask the If we put our finger on the eye of those that really have power over us our city Um, and those are questions that we can work together. So I really appreciate you for being here
Um, I also would like to highlight that there's two items and they're one of them is to pass an ordinance that uh, improves Uh, um, affordable housing In our city. So I want to make sure that we we we talk about it and then another item that is to appoint a few members Uh to the racial equity and policing so members members of the community that want to shape our police department on racial issues. So Uh, this concludes the the comments section of our agenda. We're going to move on to the unfinished business and item f1 Um, and I will look for a motion
Mr. Chira
All the new business ball since we are already in you know unfinished business. Let's do if f1 Mr. Chira I move that the council adopt the ordinance adopting amendments to the salt lake city consolidated fee schedule related to credit card surcharges in the public lens department I have a motion by evolopis service and a second by dune any questions about this All of those in favor say aye aye So let's do uh number e one nomination of council chair and vice chair for calendar year 2026 Mr. chair. I moved with the council ratify the nomination of council member alihandro poi As chair and council member erica kalston is vice chair for calendar year 26 second have a motion by council member yang and a second by a council member lope
Chavez any questions about this comments Okay, all of those in favor say aye aye Any opposed This motion carries unanimously item, uh number g on the consent agenda Move for approval second. I have a motion by council member yang and a second by council member dougan You guys are fast. I used to be there one. Uh, so all those in favor say aye aye
Okay, that put the motion carries unanimously aye This is concludes the meeting for today. Thank you everyone. Thank you. Thank you
Where'd you fit it? Where'd you fit it without?
Oh, see, you know what that was on my table, but I never when I left I didn't pick it up So I was like Yeah, so you guys did it. I did not do it Oh
Nice comment
No, no, no, it's very good
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