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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DESIGNEE TO ALLOW COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO CONTRIBUTE THE VALUE OF ACCRUED ANNUAL AND HOLIDAY LEAVE TIME TO AMERICAN FRATERNITY, INC., AN ORGANIZATION THAT ASSISTS CHILDREN WHO ARE U.S. CITIZENS LEFT ORPHANS WHEN THEIR PARENTS ARE DEPORTED; SETTING THE CAP OF SUCH CONTRIBUTIONS AT $250,000; AUTHORIZING MAYOR OR DESIGNEE TO MAKE THE CONTRIBUTION ON BEHALF OF THE EMPLOYEES OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY; DIRECTING THE MAYOR OR DESIGNEE TO WORK WITH THE UNITED WAY TO CREATE A MEANS OF ALLOWING COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO SPONSOR INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN LEFT ORPHANS BY U.S. IMMIGRATION POLICIES WHEN THEIR PARENTS ARE DEPORTED BY MAKING PAYROLL DEDUCTION CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN FRATERNITY, INC.

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WHEREAS, at the May 5, 2009 meeting of this Board, Nora Sandigo provided a citizen presentation regarding the plight of children who are left orphans by U.S. immigration policies when their parents are deported; and
WHEREAS, these children, some of whom appeared before the Board and testified on May 5, are U.S. citizens, yet when their parents are deported, these children�s lives are thrown into disarray; and
WHEREAS, this situation leads not only to instability in children�s lives, but to substantial financial, emotional and psychological problems for hundreds of children in our community who are U.S. citizens but who become orphans when their parents are deported; and
WHEREAS, some minor children end up living with extended family members, while others who have no family members here and end up with few places to turn for food and shelter; and
WHEREAS, one child testified about losing everything and having to live in a two room home with nine people making it hard to concentrate in school and sleep at night, while another testified that with her mother and baby brother, she had to live in a home with no electricity after her father was deported; and
WHEREAS, one of the fundamentals underlying U.S. law is that the interests of a child are rightly put above all other interests, yet the interests of a child who is a U.S. citizen and whose parents are deported is not receiving sufficient recognition under current immigration policies; and
WHEREAS, these are children who were born here in the U.S. and have done nothing wrong, yet their lives are turned upside down when their parents are deported; and
WHEREAS, Nora Sandigo is founder and executive director of American Fraternity, Inc., an organization based in Sweetwater that provides social services to immigrant families; and
WHEREAS, Sandigo herself serves as legal guardian to over 400 children in our community who have become orphans after their parents were deported; and
WHEREAS, American Fraternity, Inc. is in dire need of funding, food and donations to assist these children; and
WHEREAS, generous County employees have expressed a desire to contribute their earned holiday and annual leave to the plight of these children; and
WHEREAS, this Board wishes to permit such contributions; and
WHEREAS, this Board finds a reasonable limit on such contributions to be $250,000; and
WHEREAS, County employees currently have the option of making payroll deductions to United Way, and employees have the option of specifying where there contributions are to be directed; and
WHEREAS, American Fraternity, Inc. makes a compelling case for employee contributions to children who are U.S. citizens left orphans when their parents are deported and who are in great need of food, health care, housing and social services; and
WHEREAS, a program should be created through United Way that allows County employees to sponsor individual children who have been left orphans by U.S. immigration policies when their parents are deported by making payroll deduction contributions,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. This Board hereby authorizes the Mayor or Designee to allow County employees to contribute the value of their accrued annual and holiday leave to American Fraternity, Inc., an organization that assists children who are U.S. citizens left orphans when their parents are deported, in accordance with the limits set forth herein.
Section 2. The Mayor or Designee shall make available forms for employees to complete in order to authorize time contributions to American Fraternity, Inc. The authorization forms to be distributed by the Mayor or Designee should include: (a) a detailed explanation of American Fraternity, Inc. and its mission; (b) a statement that the Board of County Commissioners has approved contributions of leave time to the American Fraternity, Inc.; and (c) an explanation of the limits on such contributions.
Section 3. This Board limits the monetary amount of leave time to be redirected to American Fraternity, Inc to $250,000. Contributions shall be accepted on a first-come, firstaccepted basis until the maximum sum of $250,000 is reached.
Section 4. This Board directs the Mayor or designee to arrange for the allocation of funds from the various departments whose employees contributed to American Fraternity, Inc., and authorizes the Mayor or designee to make the donation of funds, up to the $250,000 cap, to American Fraternity, Inc. in the name of the employees of Miami-Dade County. The Mayor or designee is to give at least five (5) days notice to this Board of his intention to present the funds to American Fraternity, Inc., so that all interested members of this Board may attend the presentation.
Section 5. This Board directs the Mayor or Designee to work with the United Way to create a means of allowing County employees to sponsor individual children who have been left orphans by U.S. immigration policies when their parents are deported by making payroll deduction contributions. The Mayor or Designee shall work with United Way to inform Miami-Dade County employees of the plight and needs of these children and allow an option to designate United Way contributions for such children as soon as possible and before the next annual United Way contribution cycle. The Mayor or Designee shall report to this Board within 30 days of the effective date of this Resolution on this matter.