If there was ever any doubt about whether unauthorized immigrants take positions away from U.S. citizens, it was just dispelled when the City Council of Huntington Park, California decided to appoint two unauthorized immigrants to serve on two separate city commissions.
The tone on Telemundo was celebratory, as the two new city commissioners were featured on the network’s national evening newscast, as well as invited for what amounted to a ‘victory lap’ interview on the network’s morning show.
The host of Telemundo’s Un Nuevo Día, Neida Sandoval, warmly congratulated newly appointed commissioners Julián Zatarain and Francisco Medina for “making history,” told them outright that “we know you are going to do an excellent job” and called California “a great example.”
Despite the fact that Sandoval recognized that the move was and is controversial - even in the Southern California city, which is 97% Latino - the perspective of those who oppose the unprecedented appointments was nowhere to be found, either on the morning show or on the network’s evening newscast.
For their part, the two new city commissioners, both of whom arrived in the United States illegally from Mexico as teenagers, minimized the significance of their unauthorized status in the country.
JULIAN ZATARAIN, COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION: I believe that if we continue preparing day by day, the status is not of that much interest, right? As Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, my main job will be to try to integrate people in our community, so that they feel safe to come to our green areas and that they also feel safe to come and share and live among us. So, I believe this is a historic moment, because this means that people without documents in our country, which now is the United States, also have a voice.
These historic government appointments follow other recent developments in the state, such as the expansion of Medi-Cal to unauthorized immigrants and the granting of professional work permits to unauthorized immigrants, which in the aggregate have the effect of increasingly blurring any distinctions between legal and illegal residents of the state.
Unlike their fellow commissioners, Zatarain and Medina, who now belong to the city’s Commission on Parks and Recreation and Commission on Health and Education, respectively, will not receive a monthly stipend for their work. By means of that exception, the City skirts being in violation of a California state law which prohibits unauthorized immigrants from holding paid government positions.
As unauthorized immigrants, of course, Zatarain and Medina continue to be prohibited from voting in elections, or from aspiring to elective office. Nonetheless, they assured they have “good qualifications” for the city government positions they now hold and vowed to “put a lot of effort into it.”
The relevant portions of the referenced national news programs appear below:
Un Nuevo Día Telemundo 08/04/2015 08:00 AM
NEIDA SANDOVAL, ANCHOR: In an event without precedent, California became the first city in the United States to accept that two undocumented immigrants become part of local government [emphasis added]. They are Julián Zatarain, who will be responsible for the Commission of Parks and Recreation, and Francisco Medina, of the Commission of Health and Education of the city of Huntington Park. Well, this program will, without a doubt, unleash debate in Washington, and so they can tell us about their experience, we have live from Los Angeles, California, Francisco Medina and Julián Zatarain. There you see them, good morning to you two. How are you? Congratulations! ...you are making history, boys [emphasis added]. Francisco, what does this vote of confidence from the government there in California mean to you, this opportunity, that is historic?
…
NEIDA SANDOVAL, ANCHOR: Now Julián, what impact do you think this appointment will have, as a government commissioner, for millions of immigrants who live with the fear or being deported from this country, due to their lack of legal status?
JULIAN ZATARAIN, COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION: Well, I believe that if we continue preparing day by day, the status is not of that much interest, right? As Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, my main job will be to try to integrate people in our community, so that they feel safe to come to our green areas and that they also feel safe to come and share and live among us. So, I believe this is a historic moment, because this means that people without documents in our country, which now is the United States, also have a voice.
NEIDA SANDOVAL, ANCHOR: Well, and in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, California has been a great example [emphasis added], they have been taking action, to protect their immigrant community, which helps the economy of that state to prosper. Francisco, what would you say to the people who are against this initiative, which allows you today to be active in the government, while still being undocumented?
FRANCISCO MEDINA, COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH AND EDUCATION: Well, I am not going to say anything negative, just the opposite. I am going to be very optimistic, and put a lot of effort into it. We respect everyone’s point of view, and there is nothing wrong, on the contrary, we have to show them why we are in this position. We are qualified, we have good qualifications, we have good experiences in our communities and that is why we are here. Simply to work, and put a lot of effort into it.
NEIDA SANDOVAL, ANCHOR: …congratulations for this vote of confidence and we know you are going to do an excellent job [emphasis added].
Noticiero Telemundo 08/04/2015 6:30 PM
JOSE DIAZ-BALART, ANCHOR: The city of Huntington Park became the first in California to appoint as commissioners two undocumented immigrants. Julián Zatarain will be responsible for the Parks Commission, Francisco Medina, of the Health and Education Commission. Although by law they can’t earn a salary, their expectation is to be the voice of the immigrant community in that part of the county, one of the country’s most heavily populated Latino areas.
FRANCISCO MEDINA, COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH AND EDUCATION: There is a lot of need for information. Our people need a lot of information. They are very afraid. In Huntington, we have a lot of undocumented people, many Latinos, and we don’t have information, we don’t have resources. I felt it was my obligation to help these people.
JOSE DIAZ-BALART, ANCHOR: The new commissioners are Mexicans. They have distinguished themselves both academically and professionally, and in helping their community.
