Easton City Council unanimously approved a resolution in favor of creating a pathway for undocumented immigrants to become United States citizens.
The resolution approved Wednesday night comes as President Donald Trump attempts to enforce a travel ban on countries he has linked to terrorism.
The resolution calls on the federal government to recognize the contributions to society of the majority of undocumented immigrants. It notes the United States’ long history of welcoming immigrants and acknowledges their contributions to the country.
The resolution comes a week after about 400 people packed Easton’s Centre Square to protest Trump’s executive orders on immigration and refugee resettlement.
Mayor Sal Panto Jr. attended the rally, where he said banning Muslims from entering the United States over terrorism worries would be like banning all Italians from emigrating due to mafia fears.
“That’s crazy. That’s broad brush instead of pinpointing people. We should base our feelings about individuals on that individual, not from where they come from, the color of their skin or all those other reasons,” Panto said at the Jan. 30 rally.
‘That’s crazy’: Trump immigration orders blasted in Easton protest (VIDEO)
The city council resolution was hotly debated on social media on Tuesday. A post praising it from city planning commission member Bill Carr generated 32 comments on Facebook.
A story about the Jan. 30 rally generated more than 400 comments.
Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
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