In light of the escalating tensions in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Sacramento City Council met Tuesday afternoon and unanimously voted to adopt an immigration platform that will reaffirm its sanctuary city status.
The resolution emphasized free speech rights in and around the John Moss Federal Building in Downtown Sacramento, which houses federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
It also highlighted the protection of city data or information that could be used to trace or determine a person\u2019s citizenship or immigration status by any ICE agent.
Vice Mayor Karina Talamentes said during the city council meeting that Minneapolis has shown what\u2019s possible when community, government, and advocates fight back against authoritarian government. She emphasized that the people in Sacramento are afraid.
\u201cPeople are nervous to call the police department,\u201d Talamentes said. \u201cPeople are nervous to ask for help. Kids are scared to go to school. People are scared to ask for government resources, afraid they’ll get on a list. And there’s just a lot going on in our country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since 1985, Sacramento has been a sanctuary city<\/a>, which means it\u2019s a local jurisdiction that chooses not to assist federal agents with immigration enforcement. Hundreds of activists and community members showed up at City Hall on Tuesday to call on the city to do more to protect immigrant communities. There were over 600 internet comments and over 90 in-person comments.\u00a0 NorCal Resist helps advocate for immigrants in the community.
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But many attendees said the city leaders need to go further in protecting immigrants, protesters and courtwatchers.
CapRadio reported a court watcher was attacked and hospitalized<\/a> Friday, Jan. 23, outside of the John Moss Federal building.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In an interview before the city council meeting, NorCal Resist Program Director Giselle Garcia said she hopes the city will consider prohibiting immigration officers from using city property.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe city needs to put their foot down right, to send a message that federal enforcement agencies have to stop crossing these lines that are really just human rights abuses at this point,\u201d Garcia said.
Rancho Cordova resident Elli Boss attended the council meeting to give public comment. In an emotional speech, Boss said the city’s response to ICE has been \u201cslow and inadequate.\u201d
\u201cThis is not a distant dread. This is happening now,\u201d Boss said. \u201cDelay is a choice. Silence is a choice, and in this moment like this, those choices put lives at risk. We do not need symbolic statements. We need real, long-term protections established now.\u201d
In an interview with CapRadio, Boss said what\u2019s happening with ICE directly impacts her community.
\u201cI don’t even think it needs to be that impactful to my community to actually see what’s happening,\u201d Boss said. \u201cHonestly, this is some like, Nazi sh\u2014 that’s happening.\u201d
Sacramento resident Skyler Henry also gave public comment at the city council meeting. He said in an interview with CapRadio that it\u2019s remarkable that Mayor Kevin McCarty and Phil Plukebaum, who represents District 4 where the federal building is, were noticeably absent.
\u201cI can’t imagine if I’m a community leader being anywhere else in this moment,\u201d he said. \u201cIt’s a moment for real leadership. And these two guys couldn’t even show up to listen to people. I think it’s shameful to be honest.\u201d
McCarty is attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors to develop solutions to the national crisis, according to Director of Communications Geneva Jacob. Phil Pluckebaum didn\u2019t reply to requests for comment by the time of publication. <\/p>\n
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