On Thursday, February 13, Greenbelt City Council shared a letter to residents. “The past few weeks have been a time of fear and uncertainty for many Greenbelt residents,” reads the letter, which reaffirms their commitment to a diverse population and to being a respectful and welcoming community. It comes as the Trump administration brands diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) programs and positions as “anti-constitutional” and “discrimination,” terminating DEIA requirements and positions in the federal government and directing “strong action to end private sector DEIA discrimination, including civil compliance investigations.” Trump has also taken aim at immigrants, in particular, expanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) reach to include previously sensitive locations: schools, places of worship and hospitals, and expanding expedited removals, pledging mass deportations, characterizing immigrants as criminal and even targeting birthright citizenship. Council’s letter of commitment to a diverse population comes as private companies, even those without donations or ties to the current administration, divest themselves of DEIA programs.
The Community Pledge
“Although the [community] pledge has been amended over the years to reflect our growing and changing community and values, the spirit has remained the same,” says council’s letter.
The pledge reads: “The strength of Greenbelt is diverse people living together in a spirit of cooperation. We celebrate all people. By sharing together all are enriched. We strive to be a respectful, welcoming community that is open, accessible, safe and fair.”
The community pledge grew out of controversy decades ago. It was drafted by the Community Relations Advisory Board (CRAB) in 1997 in response to a hate flyer distributed in the city. It was then signed by over 700 community members, whose signatures were collected at the Labor Day Festival that year; their names were printed in the News Review (see page 7 of the October 23, 1997, issue). The Community Pledge was adopted in 1997, revised in 2001 and again modified in 2018 (see page 8 of the December 6, 2018, issue).
Council’s letter to residents this month stated: “The City Council remains firm in our commitment to the Community Pledge and the values behind it, to being a respectful and welcoming community that celebrates all our residents and treats everyone with dignity, regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status.”
Sharing Resources
City staff have provided a compilation of resources to inform residents of their rights, states the letter, and those are available on the city’s website and will also be shared via CARES. The letter was published in English and Spanish, and linked to immigration resources.
No Immigration Tracking
The letter emphasizes that through city offerings, such as food distribution, senior assistance and counseling, staff will never ask about immigration status, nor track U.S. residency. The Greenbelt Police Department “is not responsible for enforcing immigration laws and does not assist with federal immigration enforcement activities. They will never ask for your immigration status. Please do not be afraid to report criminal activity or reach out for assistance,” the letter stated.
A “commitment to making Greenbelt a community welcoming of diversity … will continue to be a guide for all decisions of the Greenbelt City Council as we consider policies, legal options and resource allocation in these unprecedented and challenging times,” concluded the letter from council.
The letter was published after it was submitted by Councilmember Jenni Pompi at the February 10 council meeting. It was unanimously approved by council.