Meetings
The Immigration Advisory Board has been dissolved as of October 7, 2024. The last meeting of the IAB was held on January 16, 2024. Recordings of past meetings, along with agendas and minutes, can be found on the Meetings Materials page.
About the Immigration Advisory Board
The purpose of the Immigration Advisory Board is to review and evaluate existing policies and make specific recommendations to the Mayor and City Council regarding City policy related to immigration matters. This evaluation will include analysis of City data to determine compliance with Washington State law. The board will make recommendations for further data to be compiled in order to facilitate its recommendations. In addition, the board shall support community involvement in and discussion of regional issues and decisions about our City’s future as it relates to immigration. To read the ordinance establishing the creation of the Immigration Advisory Board, view Ordinance 2019-11-033.
- Responses to questions posed by the public during meetings of the Immigration Advisory Board.
The board will consist of no more than 12 members. Individuals complete an application process to seek appointment to the board, and members will be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council to serve two-year terms. Members may serve for no more than two full two-year terms.
Membership will include at least one representative from each of the following sectors of the community:
- Directly impacted individual/liaison
- Human rights advocacy
- Immigration law/civil rights legal
- Youth/education
- Faith/religion
- Healthcare/medical
- Labor – service industry
- Labor – agricultural industry
- Business/economic development
The board consisted of no more than 12 members. Individuals completed an application process to seek appointment to the board, and members were appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council to serve two-year terms. Members served for no more than two full two-year terms.
Membership included at least one representative from each of the following sectors of the community:
- Directly impacted individual/liaison
- Human rights advocacy
- Immigration law/civil rights legal
- Youth/education
- Faith/religion
- Healthcare/medical
- Labor – service industry
- Labor – agricultural industry
- Business/economic development
Immigration Advisory Board
City Council Office
Bellingham City Hall
210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: (360) 778-8200
E-mail: immigrationboard@cob.org / consejodeinmigracion@cob.org
Map
Community Resources
- Center for Inclusion and Belonging
- Cities for Action
- Cities for Citizenship
- National Partnership for New Americans
- New American Economy
- VERA Institute SAFE Initiative
- Welcoming America
City Records
- Ordinance 2024-10-026: An Ordinance Dissolving the Immigration Advisory Board and Repealing Bellingham Municipal Code Chapter 2.26
- Ordinance 2024-01-006: An Ordinance Suspending All Future Meetings of the Immigration Advisory Board Until City Council Adopts an Ordinance Rescinding the Suspension
- Ordenanza 2024-01-006: Ordenanza Por La Que Se Suspenden Todas Las Reuniones Futuras De La Junta Asesora De Inmigración Hasta Que El Concejo Municipal Adopte Una Ordenanza Que Revoque La Suspensión.
- Ordinance 2021-03-009: An Ordinance Amending the Establishing Ordinance – English
- Ordenanza 2021-03-009: Ordenanza por la que se modifica la Ordenanza por la que se establece – Español
- Ordinance 2019-11-033: An Ordinance Establishing an Immigration Advisory Board
- Video, October 21, 2019: An Ordinance Establishing an Immigration Advisory Board
- Video, February 25, 2019: Review of Ordinance 2017-02-008 on City Policy on Immigration Enforcement and Equal Protection
- Ordinance 2017-02-008: City Policy on Immigrant Enforcement, Equal Protection, and Equal Provision of City Services
- Press Release: New Bellingham ordinance keeps City focused on local needs
- Bellingham Municipal Code 2.25: Equal Protection and Provision of Services
- Video, August 26, 2019: Background on SB 5497, Keep Washington Working Act; Discussion of City Complaint Policy and Process
- Video, August 19, 2019: Citywide Policies Related to City Services; Presentation, Join Hands Against Hate; Discussion of Work Group on Immigration
- Video, July 15, 2019: Discussion of Work Plan Items Related to Immigration
- January 30, 2017: Statement on executive orders on immigration
