Cleveland Heights Declares Itself a "Welcoming City"

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH - Cleveland Heights City Council passed a resolution declaring the municipality a 'Welcoming City.' The resolution passed by a vote of 6-1.

The goal of the resolution was to rebuke recent executive orders from President Donald Trump on immigration and refugees. City officials also say the resolution is meant to reinforce Cleveland Heights' status as a city friendly to immigrants.

City Manager Tanisha Briley said that no police policies will change as a result of the designation. She added that no federal funding will be at risk due to the designation. Trump has threatened to strip federal funding from any city with the official Sanctuary City designation.

The city said it explored becoming a Sanctuary City but did not want to risk losing federal funding in the process.

"The City and refugee serving organizations within the City will benefit from this designation by gaining access to additional resources to improve services for refugees in our community to assist in their successful resettlement," Briley said in an email to Patch.

Briley did not directly respond to a question about whether or not Cleveland Heights would aid any federal deportation mandate or effort that may be issued.

The Welcoming City initiative's member cities have long-term integration plans for immigrants, institutions that aid the integration of newcomers, community organizations that aid newcomers and longtime residents in coming together, and help sustain and communicate among newcomer communities.

You can learn more about the Welcoming City initiative.

Photo from Google Earth