When I campaigned for former D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, during his first run for mayor in 2006, one of the things that attracted me to join his campaign was his constant talk of running for mayor to make Washington, D.C. the world class city it "ought to be." He often talked about D.C. being a city that could be used as a model, not only in the nation, but the world. I'm not clear what actions, if any, the former mayor took that actually helped D.C. rise to that status.
On Tuesday, October 19, 2011, current D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray actually did something that placed D.C. on top, as the nation's defender of immigrant rights. This was done through an executive order signed by the D.C. mayor that reaffirmed the city's commitment to try and keep an ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) program called Secure Communities out of the city. While chairman of the D.C. City Council, the current mayor supported a City Council Resolution for a similar measure.
This executive order is far from being a law to stop implementation of the ICE program, in fact, as a member of the audience pointed out at the signing of the executive order's press conference on October 19th, this executive order is similar to prior executive orders executed under the Marion Barry administration, and subsequently recertified under the administration of Sharon Pratt Kelly.
But what makes this mayor's executive order different from the prior Mayoral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is its spirit and intention. At a time when people's misfortunes in jobs and other areas have forced states to issue some of the toughest anti-immigrant laws the nation has ever seen, like the law in Alabama where even assisting an undocumented person could get you arrested, it is a bold action put in place by the mayor, even if it is only a reaffirmation of what was already in place.
When the mayor signed this immigration Executive Order, the news made headlines nationwide, and immigrant advocates throughout the country have begun to push other cities to take on similar actions. Whether on immigration, school reform, or any other matter, the idea that the D.C. government is leading efforts is inspiring. The D.C. government makes headlines many times for the wrong reasons and this has put a damper on the city's long battle for self autonomy.
Regardless of what the issue is, the city's leadership should strive to impact the nation and lead as the premier world class city envisioned by the former mayor, Adrian Fenty. Many of us will never understand what derailed the former mayor from accomplishing his vision, but most of us are happy to see Mayor Gray engaging in actions to take Washington in that direction. From his One City slogan, to his fight for D.C. statehood, Mayor Vincent Gray is going in the right direction towards making Washington, D.C. the world class city it "ought to be." We now hope the momentum continues.