Bloomington City Council meets remotely Jan. 11, 2021.
The Bloomington City Council on Monday overwhelmingly voted to join the Welcoming Network, a nonprofit group that prides itself on creating inclusive environments for immigrants through community engagement, job training and other initiatives.
The 7-0 vote, in favor of the membership in the Welcoming America Initiative, means Bloomington can actively promote “breaking barriers between the immigrant community and the rest of the population,” said Ward 2 council member Donna Boelen, who drafted the proposal.
Council members Jenn Carrillo, of Ward 6, and Jeff Crabill, of Ward 8, who have opposed joining Welcoming America saying it fails to protect the city’s immigrants from an overbearing federal system, were absent from Monday night’s meeting.