NEW: The Democrat Chairwoman of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has introduced a resolution that would prohibit all county cooperation w/ ICE, including notifying ICE about release dates for criminal illegal immigrants. The policy would go further than CA’s sanctuary state law, which she says “fell short of protecting all residents.”
The resolution, introduced by Chairwoman Nora Vargas, cites deportation risks to “tamale vendors” and “domestic violence survivors”, and will be voted on at the Board’s next meeting on Tuesday as part of San Diego County’s “commitment to social justice and inclusion.”
The resolution says, in part, that San Diego County:
“Shall not provide assistance or cooperation to ICE in its civil immigration enforcement efforts including by giving ICE agents access to individuals or allowing them to use County facilities for investigative interviews or other purposes, expending County time or resources responding to ICE inquiries or communicating with ICE regarding individuals’ incarceration status or release dates, or otherwise participating in any civil immigration enforcement activities.”
Vargas adds that she believes California’s sanctuary state law (SB54) didn’t go far enough, and that this resolution will be a fix:
“While the California Values Act significantly expanded protection from deportation to California residents, it fell short of protecting all residents because it allowed agencies to still notify ICE of release dates and transfers individuals to ICE without a warrant in some circumstances. This loophole has allowed the transfer of some individuals to ICE and notifications to ICE of release dates, leading to the deportation of our community members and the separation of families in our region….By avoiding active cooperation with ICE, including through specific notification to ICE of the release dates of immigrants, the County avoids treating a group of individuals differently solely on the basis of their immigration status.”
Link to resolution here, now posted on Board’s agenda:
Republican San Diego County Supervisor @jim_desmond tells FOX he will vote against it, adding: "Sanctuary policies are reckless and dangerous, putting innocent lives at risk. Every American family deserves safety. No community should suffer the heartbreak of losing a loved one due to politically driven policies that protect criminals instead of holding them accountable."