Albany council passes immigrant resolution

When Russian immigrant Anton Konev spoke in support of a resolution designed to help immigrants in Albany, he touched on one reason it was proposed in the first place.

"The community in Albany is changing," Konev told the city's Common Council. It's estimated the city has 7,000 immigrants who call it home.  

The resolution calls on all state, federal and local political leaders and agencies to "refrain from all unnecessary measures to jail, detain, or deport documented and undocumented immigrants and their families living in the City of Albany....when an immigrant living, visiting and/or working in...Albany...is not posing a threat..."

Councilwoman Barbara Smith says the suggestion came from Fred Boehrer of the New Sanctuary Movement, someone whose work often brings assistance to immigrants. "I think this tells immigrants they are valued and their human rights are intact," Boehrer said.

Smith acknowledged the resolution neither requires nor prevents any sort of behavior on the part of police officers and says it is not a barrier to police officers doing their jobs.