Latest Guides

Uncategorized

City Council to Discuss Immigration Policy Monday, May Debate Official “Sanctuary City” Status

Published on Monday, March 27, 2017 | 5:42 am
 

Pasadena’s City Council is scheduled to confront immigration issues tonight, weighing demands of local activists that the City officially declare itself a “Sanctuary City” against less overt recommendations from the Legislative Policy Committee and the City Manager.

Even though approximately 300 U.S. jurisdictions, including cities, counties and states, reportedly have adopted sanctuary policies, the “Sanctuary” designation does not carry a precise legal definition.

The City staff recommendation to be considered Monday does not include the words, “Sanctuary City.”

Instead, Monday’s agenda item recommends approval of a proposed City Federal Legislative Platform, which emphasizes that the City would support federal legislation to make the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program stronger, especially as the Trump administration is implementing more stringent immigration policies. The DACA program protects children who were brought into the country without immigration documents and are now pursuing education in American schools.

The Council discussion, however, will likely include debate on adopting a resolution to declare Pasadena a “Sanctuary City.”

The proposed resolution as it currently stands to be considered lists steps the City can take to protect residents’ personal information, including immigration statuses, as well as how City agencies — including the Pasadena Police Department — should respond in relation to local cases being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel.

City Manager Steve Mermell recently refused to sign an agreement that would reimburse the Pasadena Police Department for its help in assisting agents of the Immigration Customs Enforcement department of Homeland Security.

Meanwhile, Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez has repeatedly stated for the record that Pasadena Police do not and will not assist in immigration enforcement.

The City has also developed a new policy called Standards of Conduct Regarding Confidentiality, to be incorporated into the City’s Manual of Personnel Rules, Practices and Procedures. The policy sets forth the City’s commitment to the confidentiality of information gathered for municipal purposes and would explicitly limit collection or dissemination of information regarding a person’s status.

In essence, the new proposed policy, as developed by City staff, differs significantly from the proposal by community advocates – it does not declare Pasadena a “Sanctuary City.”

In the Agenda Report, Mermell says in addition to the proposed local resolution for a sanctuary city, a state bill, Senate Bill 54, that could result in California being declared a “sanctuary state,” is moving through the legislature.

About a dozen California cities have adopted some form of local “sanctuary” legislation. The City of Los Angeles, despite adopting a Special Order that bars offices from initiating contact with a person solely to determine his or her immigration status, does not use the phrase “sanctuary city.”

Both Mermell and the Legislative Policy Committee said they are prepared to discuss details of the community-proposed “Sanctuary City” resolution and its implication with regards to the Trump’s administration’s threat to deny federal funding to sanctuary cities.

Mermell said in fiscal year 2016, the City of Pasadena received just under $35 million in federal funding.

As counterpoint to the immigration discussion Monday, the City Manager’s office will also present a draft policy, Policy 428, which outlines how the Pasadena Police Department will now relate to federal immigration activities within Pasadena.

In brief, the draft policy, which could be finalized soon, restates the Police Department’s position that it should not completely disengage from ICE or any federal law enforcement agency, when the activities involve matters of national security, including combating terrorism, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and money laundering.

Mermell said the draft policy has been circulated among members of the Pasadena Police Officers Association which has offered no objection to the draft.

Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.

Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.

Make a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 

 

 

buy ivermectin online
buy modafinil online
buy clomid online
buy ivermectin online