TROY – The city’s Public Safety Committee voted 2-1 Tuesday night after an emotional three-hour meeting to declare the Collar City a Sanctuary City, sending the resolution to the full City Council for action Thursday night.

The resolution that codifies city policy for the Troy Police Department not to ask people about their immigration status received an emotional boost at the beginning of the meeting when Dalila Yeend, 35, spoke in favor of its passage.

Yeend, who was born in Australia and immigrated to the United State from New Zealand when she was 17, was arrested May 29 during a traffic stop by city police for not having a valid driver’s license. Yeend was released on her own recognizance by a judge, but city police detained her until U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took her into custody.

“I just hope that if this passes, it will help a lot of people,” said Yeend, who was held at the ICE detention center in Batavia until she was released. The mother of two American-born children, Yeend has applied for a green card to stay in the U.S. legally.

More than 125 people attended the meeting with 46 city residents speaking for or against the measure.

Yeend, whose arrest by immigration agents helped rally supporters of the resolution, followed Rensselaer County Executive Stephen McLaughlin who spoke in opposition to its passage.

“Rensselaer County is going to stay strong and obey federal laws,” McLaughlin promised.

“This is an ill-advised resolution that does nothing,” said McLaughlin adding that it’s a disservice to the law enforcement performed by city police.

The Troy Police Benevolent Association leadership opposed the measure as not taking into account that the city’s officers do not ask people their immigration status. Police said Yeend was detained after an immigration order came up during a warrant check.

The committee vote was along party lines with Democratic Councilman David Bissember, the committee chairman, and Councilwoman Coleen Murtaugh Paratore voting for the resolution and Republican Councilman Mark McGrath voting in favor.

At points during the meeting, Republicans argued that the Democratic-controlled City Council should not vote on the resolution but instead it should be submitted to a public referendum next year. The Democrats hold a 4-3 council majority. The Republicans have launched the referendum alternative when confronting issues that the Democrats have the majority to pass.

McGrath read part of a letter from Democratic Mayor Patrick Madden that suggested the council consult with city law enforcement leaders before taking action on the resolution. Bissember said the resolution would go to the City Council to act on at its meeting Thursday night.

The resolution directs that city police and other employees will not ask about the “immigration status of individuals being provided local government services, except where the receipt of such services or benefits are contingent upon one’s immigration or citizenship.” It also directs several times that police officers will not act as immigration agents; ask any individual about their immigration status except if required during an investigation; and officers will not enforce civil immigration warrants.

The resolution follows unsuccessful attempts by supporters of undocumented immigrants at the County Legislature earlier this year to convince county officials not to support the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office’s Section 287(g) agreement with ICE to check the immigration status of people held at the county jail.