Officially labeling Arcata a “sanctuary city” or leaving out the phrase but reaffirming by resolution the city’s commitment to “safeguarding the civil rights, safety and dignity” of all its residents — regardless of legal status — are among the options before the council at tonight’s meeting.
Former Councilmember Dave Meserve urged the council back in January to add “sanctuary city” to the wording of a unanimously-passed resolution that reiterated Arcata’s values of inclusion, respect and environmental responsibility, among others.
At the time, council members stated they thought there needed to be more community discussion given the weight of the term, especially after President Donald Trump signed what some say is a constitutionally-questionable executive order to withhold federal funding from cities, counties and states with sanctuary policies.
Cities across the country, including San Francisco and Seattle, have filed federal lawsuits over that threat. The president, who ran on a campaign that painted illegal immigration as a public safety threat, has also pledged to build a wall between the United States and Mexico, with the deadline for bidders to submit plans ending yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Arcata council is being presenting with a series of choices on the topic, including whether to pass a motion, resolution or ordinance (the latter of which would come with legal ramifications for non-compliance as opposed to a more ceremonial declaration) to restrict the city’s involvement with immigration enforcement — with or without the “sanctuary” label.
In the case of an ordinance, the council is being further asked to look at directing city department heads to develop specific immigration-related policies.
The staff report notes that the Arcata Police Department “has for decades not enforced federal immigration laws, and does not inquire about any person’s immigration status unless such enforcement or inquiry is directly related to the investigation of a serious felony offense such as human trafficking, homicide, terrorism or smuggling.”
“The Arcata Police Department does not independently conduct sweeps or other concentrated efforts to detain suspected undocumented residents. All individuals, regardless of their immigration status, must feel secure that contacting law enforcement will not make them vulnerable to deportation,” the staff report states.
Also under consideration by the council is voicing support for California Senate Bill 54, which would bar state and local law enforcement agencies from using resources “to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest persons for immigration enforcement purposes.”
The so-called “sanctuary state” legislation, which was approved by the California Senate on April 5 and is headed to the Assembly, “does not specifically use the word Sanctuary,” the staff report notes.
Included in the staff report is a list of the millions of dollars in federal funds — ranging from Community Block and Safe Route to Schools grants to specific project funding — that comes into city coffers each year.
“The potential fiscal impact of the President’s Executive Order is uncertain until the federal government determines the identity of ‘sanctuary jurisdictions,’ the federal government determines what federal grant funds will be affected and the courts decide the legality of the Executive Order in the San Francisco case, or other cases that may be brought,” the staff report states.
To read the full agenda, visit the city of Arcata’s website.
This article appears in Past Lives of the Coral Sea.
So when cities across the country declare that they will NOT be sanctuary, guess where ALL the illegals, criminals, gang members fleeing ICE will go???? straight to your welcoming city. So ironically the people fighting for sanctuary city status, may have an unprecedented crime wave to deal with along with the additional expense.
http://www.illegalaliencrimereport.com/tag/mexican-rapists/
http://www.ojjpac.org/memorial.asp
$17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
$12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English.
$22 billion is spent on (AFDC) welfare to illegal aliens each year.
$2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as
(SNAP) food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
$3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.Does not include local jails and State Prisons.
2012 illegal aliens sent home $62 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin. This is why Mexico is getting involved in our politics.
$200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States.
Sources:
Center for Immigration Studies.
Federation for American Immigration Reform.
House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Investigations.
Inter-American Development Bank.
Violent Crimes Institute.
Federation for American Immigration Reform.
Immigration Studies Program.
Illegal Alien Crime Report.
Memorial to victims of Illegal Alien Crime.
Except that crime rates among immigrants is lower than that of the general population, so bring them in!
The United States is a land of laws and the optimal words are “Legal” and “Illegal” as it pertains to immigration. Of course the democrats would alter it to “undocumented” immigrants.
My Great Grand Parents came to the United States from Norway in 1880, and went through the immigration process, as it was back then, on Elis Island. I am familiar with the new process though the I.N.S. 2003 My wife arrived with a spousal VISA, then we went through the resident VISA. Then she work on her goal, which was her citizenship which she achieved.
I don’t know how many countries there are, but I’m sure we have illegals immigrants from each of them. First off they’ve broken the immigration laws either sneaking in or overstaying their VISA without renewal. Now if I violated a law as minimal as jay walking, was citied and didn’t want to pay the fine, and after 30 days it turned into a warrant for my arrest and I ended up doing 6 months in jail, would that be fair? Of course it would be. So what is the difference between an illegal immigrant’s violation for trespassing into the United States and any American’s domestic crime? Absolutely none. A criminal violation is a criminal violation.
So in reality, sanctuary cities are harboring criminals and that is against the law. Let’s take San Francisco as an example. Reading the S.F. Chronical, they have over 6,000 homeless whom are American citizens, and the city is unable to deal with. But there’s 4000 illegal immigrants that are getting all the freebies and shelter. Something kinda stinks don’t it?? It’s been documented that they’re chasing M13 gangsters around town.
Be carful what you wish for, it will surely turn around and bite you….