Hello, my name is Branden C. Sigua. I am the senior policy advocate for the advancing justice team at the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties and we are a member of the Invest in San Diego Families Coalition.
A budget is a moral document. What we choose to spend our money on reflects what is important to us. We are experiencing a historic moment, and how the board chooses to reflect the morals and values of San Diegans in this budget will impact the future of our region.
We are living in turbulent times. Community members are worried about being targeted and arrested by federal officers. Lawmakers are challenging—and aiming to erase—people’s identities. Public officials are attempting to dismantle the checks and balances that have long sustained our democracy.
This is why ensuring due process for all members of our community is so important, and why programs like the Immigrant Legal Defense Program must be maintained and funded. This is why providing housing and services to LGBTQ+ San Diegans is imperative to protect a community under attack. This is why transparency in the budget is crucial to enable community members to participate in the process in an informed manner.
In this moment, it is vital that we look out for our friends, our neighbors, our family and our community. As our board of supervisors, let this budget be a statement that you will defend the values of San Diegans. Protect due process through the Immigrant Legal Defense Program and maintain it as a universal and merits-blind program. Fund housing as a human right by providing $3 million for LGBTQ+ housing services. And lastly, ensure accessibility and transparency in the county budget process.
Thank you.
