Kica Matos Photo
New Haven Mayor John DeStefano joined counterparts from around the world on a panel in the Netherlands about an issue that has bedeviled communities worldwide: how to absorb waves of immigrants.
The occasion was a gathering in The Hague entitled “The 2010 International Cities of Migration Conference: Migration to Integration: An Opportunity Agenda For Cities.” Read about it here.
DeStefano — who has helped attract newcomers to New Haven with an immigrant-friendly ID card and police policy requiring cops in most cases to avoid asking people about their immigration status — spoke on a Monday morning panel entitled, “International City Leaders Panel: Strategies for City Success.” DeStefano was one of six panelists, the only one from the U.S. Kica Matos, his former point person in City Hall on immigration policy, accompanied him and spoke at the conference as well; she sent the above photo on Monday.
The conference paid DeStefano’s expenses, according to mayoral spokeswoman Jessica Mayorga. No taxpayer money was involved in the trip.
DeStefano kept in touch with developments in the city and planned to arrive back home Tuesday.