Two Illegal Aliens Appointed to California City Commission

By CBS Los Angeles. Huntington Park is making history and not everyone is happy about it.

Councilman Jhonny Pineda announced at Monday night’s city council meeting the appointment of two undocumented immigrants as commissioners, CBS2/KCAL9’s Kara Finnstrom reports.

“You are out of order!” one woman in the crowd yelled at the councilmembers during the meeting.

Some critics say Pineda, who joined the council in March, specifically picked Medina and Zatarain because they worked on his campaign. Others say they don’t believe undocumented immigrants should serve the government this way.

“We’re sending the wrong message: you can be illegal and you can come and work for the city,” a woman told Finnstrom. (Read more from “Two Illegal Aliens Appointed to California City Commission” HERE)

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Illegal Aliens Named to Huntington Park Commissions

By Tracy Bloom and Eric Spillman. Julian Zatarain, 21, won an appointment to the parks and recreation commission, while Francisco Medina, 29, was appointed to the health and education commission by Huntington Park Councilman Jhonny Pineda.

“I am proud to appoint both Julian and Francisco to the Parks and Recreation Commission and Health and Education Commission, respectively,“ Pineda said in a news release announcing the appointments. “Huntington Park is a city of opportunity and a city of hope for all individuals regardless of socioeconomic status, race, creed, or in this case, citizenship. Both these gentlemen have accomplished a great deal for the city.”

The two Huntington Park residents did not meet the requirements set forth in President Barack Obama’s Executive Order of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, according to Pineda. . .

Zatarain arrived in the U.S. in September of 2007, and initially lived in South Los Angeles before his family moved to Huntington Park. He . . . graduated from California State University at Dominguez Hill, has worked in the public sector and dedicated himself to improving lives of those who have been the “most marginalized,” the release stated. He interned in the office of then-Assemblyman Gil Cedillo and has also organized free immigration forums to help working class communities. . .

[Huntington Park Mayor Karina Macias said,] “Our population includes documented and undocumented immigrants, and I wanted to make sure everyone could participate,” Macias told the Times. “If we’re going to talk about transparency, being open and having a community that’s involved, then the conversation also has to include undocumented immigrants. I’m hoping other cities are looking at what we’re doing here.” (Read more from this story HERE)

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