A group of mayors that lead some of the country’s largest cities have formed a coalition to help carry out President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration.
Called Cities United for Immigration Action, the group of 25 mayors will meet in New York City on Dec. 8 to lay out a plan that will work in tandem with the new rules.
“The president’s action on immigration will strengthen our cities. It will keep families together, grow our economies and foster additional community trust in law enforcement and government,” the coalition said in a statement out Monday. “We are ready — and together we’re rolling up our sleeves to turn this policy into a better reality for millions of hardworking people in the communities we serve.”
In the face of strong opposition by Congressional Republicans, Obama announced last month that his administration would delay deportation by three years for people who are undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and who have lived in the U.S. for five years or longer.
The new rules also tweak a program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Dreamers, which allows qualified people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children to stay three years longer than the two years they’ve already been granted. Obama also removed the upper age limit of 30 for the program.
Mayors who will join the new coalition include New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray – as well as mayors of other cities including Houston, Philadelphia and San Francisco.