Q&A
Staffing at MOIA dedicated to sanctuary law work
0:38:31
ยท
112 sec
Council Member Aviles inquires about the specific staffing at MOIA dedicated to sanctuary and detainer law work. Rebecca Engel, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs at MOIA, explains her role and the team's responsibilities.
- Rebecca Engel is the primary person advising on sanctuary laws
- The entire policy team at MOIA, consisting of about 5 people, is dedicated to this work
- MOIA's responsibilities include advising agencies, conducting trainings, and helping agencies write their own policies
- They go beyond the requirements of Local Law 228 in their reporting and agency interactions
Alexa Aviles
0:38:31
If we could just I'm gonna pause you for a quick second so we could move through.
0:38:35
So does how does Moya have dedicated staff who advise specifically on sanctuary and detainer laws?
Lorena Lucero
0:38:41
Yes.
0:38:42
And she's about to speak.
0:38:43
Rebecca Engel.
Alexa Aviles
0:38:44
Oh, okay.
Lorena Lucero
0:38:44
She's our point person at Moya.
Rebecca Engel
0:38:46
Hi.
0:38:47
How are you?
0:38:48
So, yes, my name is Rebecca Engel.
0:38:49
I am, the director of policy and legislative affairs at Moya.
0:38:53
And that is my primary job is actually to advise both the city and particular agencies about all of our sanctuary laws.
0:39:02
This advisement takes place in a number of different manners.
0:39:05
This the commissioner mentioned that we send out memos to remind all of the heads of agencies of our sanctuary laws.
0:39:12
We have sponsored a number of trainings, especially in re in recent months, of general counsel and other important staff about our sanctuary city policies.
0:39:22
And in fact, when it comes to enforcement, we go above and beyond what we need to do under some of these laws.
0:39:29
Just as one quick example, I will give you under local law 228, our primary sanctuary law.
0:39:36
We are only really supposed to be reporting on what agencies report to us.
0:39:41
How many requests have they received from local law from federal law enforcement and whether they have responded.
0:39:48
And we do more than that.
0:39:49
We actually have we reach out to agencies.
0:39:52
We talk to them about the incidents that have occurred, and we have helped many agencies write their own policies on local law 228.
0:39:59
So that is what we do on sanctuary city laws.
Alexa Aviles
0:40:03
So, miss Engle, are you the only person that engages in this work?
Rebecca Engel
0:40:08
No.
0:40:09
I'm not the only person.
0:40:09
I'm the primary person.
Alexa Aviles
0:40:11
Primary person.
0:40:11
So how many staff do you have dedicated to doing this work?
Rebecca Engel
0:40:15
So the entire policy team at Moya is dedicated to doing this work, and I think that's, what, 5 people, Mallory?
0:40:21
Yeah.
0:40:21
Something like that.
0:40:22
5 people.