Title
Authorizing the proper City officials to accept a gift stipend from the Vera Institute of Justice for Assistant City Attorney Edmundo D. Lijo to attend the SAFE Network Annual Convening in Denver, Colorado on May 7-8, 2026.
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WHEREAS, The Vera Institute of Justice is a nonprofit research and policy organization focused on criminal justice reform and partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change to transform the criminal justice and immigration system; and
WHERAS, The Vera Institute of Justice’s Safety and Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) Network is a diverse group of local jurisdictions dedicated to providing publicly funded representation for detained people in deportation proceedings; and
WHEREAS, The City of Saint Paul has a long-standing relationship with the Vera Institute of Justice and has been a member of the SAFE Network since 2019 when the City entered into an agreement with the Vera Institute and Ramsey County to jointly create an Immigrant Legal Defense Fund to support residents of Saint Paul and Ramsey County who are detained and facing deportation; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul has participated in Vera Institute’s SAFE Network since 2019 and has sent a representative from the City each year to the SAFE Network’s Annual Convening; and
WHEREAS, The SAFE Network’s Annual Convening will be held in Denver, Colorado from Thursday May 7, 2026, to Friday, May 8, 2026; and
WHEREAS, This Convening offers city representatives an opportunity to strategize on how members can develop a pro-active agenda that will increase their ability to serve immigrant residents; and
WHEREAS, The Vera Institute has offered to pay for the convening registration fee, meals and lodging expenses to attend this Convening for Saint Paul’s representative; and
WHEREAS, The educational and networking opportunities offered through this Convening would be of significant benefit to the City of Saint Paul and our residents; and
WHEREAS, Participation in the SAFE Network’s Convening would provide an opportunity to acquire technical knowledge to develop and improve the City of Saint Paul’s immigrant and refugee legal defense programming; and
WHEREAS, Participating in the SAFE Network Convening would benefit the residents of the City of Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, The Saint Paul City Attorney’s Office wishes to send Assistant City Attorney, Edmundo D. Lijo to the SAFE Network’s Annual Convening; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to Minn. Stat. 465.03, the City is allowed to accept, by a resolution adopted by a two-thirds majority of the City Council, a grant or devise of real or personal property in accordance with the terms prescribed by the donor; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Saint Paul City Council accepts the donation of registration, meals, and hotel expenses from the Vera Institute so that Saint Paul Assistant City Attorney Edmundo Lijo may attend, and thanks Vera for their generosity.