One other California metropolis plots changing into sanctuary metropolis for unlawful migrants

One other California metropolis might quickly be a part of the state’s checklist of sanctuary jurisdictions after a proposal urging Bakersfield to undertake the coverage for unlawful migrants sparked a heated debate.

The proposal—backed by the Kern County Younger Democrats—was raised throughout Wednesday’s Metropolis Council assembly, the place activists urged officers to declare it a sanctuary metropolis following three deaths this month throughout ICE arrests.

A number of audio system additionally pointed to immigration sweeps in Kern County in January 2025.

Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur and Councilman Andrae Gonzales every voiced assist for taking on the problem, although they proposed totally different approaches.

Kaur requested Metropolis Legal professional Virginia “Ginny” Gennaro to return on the council’s subsequent assembly with steering on organizing a Clear Overview of Unjust Transfers and Holds (TRUTH) Act discussion board—which permits native governments to assessment whether or not native regulation enforcement companies granted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement entry to individuals in custody through the earlier yr.

Gonzales as an alternative referred the matter to the council’s Legal guidelines and Laws Committee to discover a proper sanctuary metropolis coverage, saying immigration enforcement was “nothing in need of, , terrorizing our neighborhoods and our communities, immigrant communities, and albeit, a lot of our residents who’re additionally individuals of colour.”

He claimed town ought to ship “a transparent message to our group and to the remainder of the nation” that each tax-paying member of the group must be handled with dignity and humanity.

Residents who addressed the council additionally urged metropolis leaders to behave.

Longtime resident Manny Ramirez known as on officers to revisit the problem at their subsequent assembly after quoting the final phrases of a person fatally shot by an ICE officer final week.

Lindsey Parker urged council members to guard individuals who have made Bakersfield their dwelling, whereas Charlotte O’Brien described Bakersfield as a “metropolis of immigrants” and stated town ought to do what it will possibly to scale back the affect of federal immigration enforcement.

Kaur additionally informed the assembly she had been barred from touring native immigrant detention amenities and stated residents’ issues mattered extra to her “than somebody’s highway in entrance of (their dwelling) must be repaved.”

Not each council member agreed town ought to transfer ahead.

Councilman Larry Koman stated Gov. Gavin Newsom has made it clear that Sacramento intends to make sure native regulation enforcement companies don’t cooperate with federal immigration authorities and additional argued that extra metropolis motion would waste authorities time.

“I don’t need to see any time spent … creating a sanctuary coverage till it comes again to the Metropolis Council for dialogue,” Koman stated.

Councilman Eric Arias additionally warned that adopting a sanctuary coverage might give residents false confidence they might be protected against federal immigration enforcement.

By the tip of the assembly, Gennaro she would return with a plan for a TRUTH Act discussion board, whereas Metropolis Supervisor Christian Clegg stated the legislative committee would maintain a particular assembly inside three to 4 weeks to think about a proposed sanctuary metropolis coverage.

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