While At-large Councilmember David Grosso did not attend inauguration, he hung up this message for the parade to see. (Photo via Twitter)

All 13 members of the D.C. Council signed a resolution that vows not to cooperate with any attempt to infringe upon human rights and calls upon Congress and the president to treat everyone with respect.

It’s not exactly shocking that the elected officials of a city where only 4 percent of residents voted for Trump are opposing the policies and statements of the new president. Indeed, only three of the councilmembers attended the inauguration.

Trump has signed a series of executive orders this week that threaten to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities, undermine the Affordable Care Act, block people from certain majority Muslim countries from entering the U.S., pursuing undocumented immigrants, and more.

In the feel-good resolution, the council declares its “intention to defend the safety, dignity, and liberty of all our residents,” though it’s entirely symbolic. It was introduced by At-large Councilmembers David Grosso and Robert White, and the rest of the council co-introduced the measure.

On Wednesday evening, Mayor Muriel Bowser reaffirmed D.C.’s status as a sanctuary city. The council resolution states that they “remain committed to our status as a Sanctuary City, and will seek to strengthen those policies to ensure that the District government will not participate in any federal immigration enforcement strategies that endanger the rights and well-being of our residents, workers, and visitors.”

The council also called out Congress for its continued meddling in D.C. affairs by asserting “the right of District residents to exercise self-determination on public policy.” Already this term, bills permanently barring D.C.’s ability to fund low-income abortions, implement its new Death with Dignity law, and gutting gun safety legislation have gathered steam.

Additionally, the House Oversight Committee is sniffing around Bowser’s new $500,000 grant program for immigration services. The letter, signed by Chair Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) says that the plan “to pay for legal representation of individuals subject to removal proceedings appears to be in conflict with existing federal law.”

Copies of the resolution are going to President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Mayor Bowser.

On Thursday afternoon, activists organized a coordinated phone campaign to tell councilmembers and the mayor they want a “safe D.C. for Muslims and refugees,” with a rally to follow at the Wilson Building.

Sense of the Council in Reaffirmation of the Human Rights of D.C. Residents and in Opposition to Bigotry an… by Rachel Kurzius on Scribd