The Vista City Council on Tuesday approved its “sanctuary city” policies, limiting local law enforcement collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, among other policies.
More than 100 public speakers, including online participants, spoke at a special session of the Vista City Council. Locals say it’s the biggest turnout at any council meeting in anyone’s recent memory.
Supporters hope to limit the city’s collaboration with Homeland Security and ICE with this measure. The mayor, who strongly opposes it, says it’s a matter of public safety.
Ninety minutes before the start of Tuesday’s council meeting, more than 100 people rallied outside City Hall in support of passing the measure. Among them were members of Saint Francis Church and the San Diego Organizing Project.
“We urge the city council to vote yes on this pivotal piece of local policy,” Elana with the church said. “We believe everyone deserves a life with dignity and respect.”
The first vote back in September was 3-2 in favor. Councilmember Jeff Fox and Mayor John Franklin opposed the measure.
The mayor held his own press conference before the meeting.
“In the 61 years Vista has been a city, we have never had federal enforcement action, so the idea of banning federal authorities from our buildings and facilities is completely unnecessary,” he said.
Inside, sheriff’s deputies on security detail estimate there were more than 525 people there — the largest crowd anyone can remember.
The resolution calls for limiting collaboration between local law enforcement and federal agencies. The city would disseminate “Know Your Rights” information on its website, which it currently doesn’t have. Also, the city would prohibit federal law enforcement from conducting raids on non-public, city-owned, or controlled property without a warrant.
There were considerably more speakers in favor of passing the resolution.
“Most of the people who have been waiting for their legal status are just looking to make an honest living and raise their families, like all of us,” one person said.
“I have to stand with people who are imperfect,” another said. “I have to stand with people who maybe have it wrong politically, but the Lord has put it in my heart that I am to help them.”
Still, the mayor says those in favor of passing the resolution are not representative of those opposed.
“These resolutions are ineffective and probably not legal,” one person said. “The proponents of these resolutions are using the immigrant community and sowing fear within them.”
“Vista never needed these kinds of policies. Not once in 50 years that I have lived here has this type of ‘crisis’ existed in our city,” another said.