Q&A
Accountability measures in agency policies related to sanctuary laws
0:41:35
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88 sec
Council Member Aviles inquires about accountability elements within the policies MOIA helps develop for city agencies regarding sanctuary laws. Rebecca Engel explains the reporting requirements and MOIA's role in ensuring compliance.
- MOIA sends memos to agencies clarifying their obligations under sanctuary city laws
- Agency policies include requirements for reporting interactions with federal immigration enforcement
- Agencies must report to MOIA on a quarterly basis about such interactions
- MOIA assists agencies in determining what counts as a reportable interaction
Alexa Aviles
0:41:35
Okay.
0:41:36
In terms of, in terms of the policies that you are help you're helping to develop at each of these agencies, how much element within that policy deals with accountability for following those particular policies?
Rebecca Engel
0:41:52
So we do make clear that, you know and this is what we sent out a memo to all of, all of the agencies making clear their obligations under our sanctuary city laws.
0:42:02
But when we help write, the mem the policies for organs agencies such as NYPD, yes, we do ask them to include within there that you must report to us.
0:42:13
You can you must be honest in your reporting, and you must report to us on a quarterly basis every interaction that you have had with federal immigration
UNKNOWN
0:42:23
enforcement.
Alexa Aviles
0:42:23
And do you have periodic touches throughout the year around that report?
Rebecca Engel
0:42:28
So that report is we we actually, it's on a fiscal quarterly basis that every agency in the entire city has to report to us any request from assistance from federal immigration enforcement.
Alexa Aviles
0:42:40
And how does the agency ascertain whether that report is accurate?
Rebecca Engel
0:42:46
So so we actually do get calls from agencies saying, do you think this counts as a request for assistance from federal immigration enforcement?
0:42:54
I talk it through with them and then, you know, consulting with the other p individuals on the staff, we decide whether it does count or not and then we put it in the report.
0:43:03
Okay.
Alexa Aviles
0:43:03
I think we'll circle back, certainly, to this line of questioning.