General (16)You don't often get email from aochoa@occord.org. Learn why this is important
Date:3/25/2025 2:47:11 PM
From:"Angeles Ochoa Carmona" aochoa@occord.org
To:"Public Comment" publiccomment@anaheim.net
Subject:[EXTERNAL] 03/25/25 Meeting General Public Comment
Attachment:Council meeting 3_24 Public Comment.pdf;
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Good afternoon,
Please see attached.
Best,
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A n g e l e s O c h o a C a r m o n a
D i g i t a l O r g a n i z e r
a o c ho a @ o c c or d .or g
w w w .o c c or d .or g
1 5 0 5 E 1 7 th St, Suite 1 2 2 , Sa nta A na , C A 9 2 7 0 5
Dear Mayor Aitken and Members of the Anaheim City Council,
My name is Angeles Ochoa, and I am the Digital Organizer with Orange County Communities
Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD). As the proud daughter of immigrants and
someone who has lived in immigrant communities my entire life, I have long witnessed—and
continue to witness, especially under the current administration—the fear and uncertainty that
undocumented families and youth experience due to harsh immigration enforcement policies and
a lack of meaningful local protections. Many of these are mixed-status families, where U.S.
citizen children live in constant fear that their parents could be taken away. I have close friends
and family members in Orange County who are undocumented, and they live with that daily
fear—especially in a region where anti-immigrant sentiment remains strong. It is heartbreaking
to live in a country where immigrants are treated inhumanely and stripped of their dignity and
rights simply for seeking safety, opportunity, and a better life.
Tonight, I am here to strongly support the brave youth leaders advocating for meaningful action
from this Council. Anaheim's young people have voiced clearly how immigrant families
constantly live under the threat of family separation and deportation. Students regularly express
anxiety about returning home to find parents missing, families are hesitant to seek healthcare,
report crimes, or utilize essential city services, and entire communities feel forced to live in
isolation and fear due to unclear local policies.
In alignment with these courageous youth leaders, we urge the Anaheim City Council to act
decisively on the following demands:
1. Strengthen legal protections in the Welcoming City policy by explicitly preventing any
collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE, ensuring safety and security for all
Anaheim residents regardless of their immigration status.
2. Clearly and publicly declare your support and solidarity with immigrant communities in
Anaheim, taking a visible stand against policies that create fear and division.
3. Regularly update and actively maintain the Anaheim Welcoming City website with
accurate, accessible, and current resources, including Know Your Rights information to
empower immigrant residents.
4. Host ongoing Know Your Rights community forums and workshops to provide safe,
reliable spaces for residents to receive accurate information and address their concerns
directly.
Anaheim's youth have courageously stepped forward to lead this essential effort, and they
deserve your recognition, support, and immediate action. As city leaders, you have both the
opportunity and responsibility to protect all residents and demonstrate Anaheim's commitment to
becoming a genuinely welcoming city. I urge you to meet with these students, listen to their
experiences, and work alongside them to create real, lasting change. Thank you for your
attention and your commitment to making Anaheim safe and welcoming for all its residents.
Thank you,
Angeles Ochoa