HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-018 - California Urging the Federal Government to Protect Immigrant FamiliesRESOLUTION NO. 2016-018
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA URGING THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT
FAMILIES AND VICTIMS OF TRUST ACT VIOLATIONS
FROM NEEDLESS DEPORTATIONS BY EXERCISING
MAXIMUM USE OF PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION
WHEREAS, immigrant workers and families make significant contributions to
every facet of the City of Santa Ana economic, educational and cultural life; and
WHEREAS, City government has a responsibility to both maintain public safety
and ensure that all residents feel secure, respected and able to interact with public
safety officials without fear; and
WHEREAS, there is a consensus that United States immigration laws are
outdated, unjust, and in need of reform; and
WHEREAS, immigration law enforcement is the purview of the federal
government, and conflation of civil immigration law enforcement and local criminal law
enforcement have resulted in considerable erosion of ; and public safety by creating
social distance between police and the community
WHEREAS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has recently
discontinued its failed "Secure Communities" program which gave rise to Arizona's
infamous SB1070; and
WHEREAS, on Jan. 1 2014, the CA legislature passed the Trust Act (AB 4) to
protect California residents against the controversial Secure Communities program by
shielding certain immigrants from deportation; and
WHEREAS, Samuel Sixtos, A#095735387, is a Santa Ana resident who was
unlawfully turned over to ICE by the Orange County Sheriff's Department in violation of
the CA law TRUST ACT (AB 4) resulting in the unjust detention of Samuel at the
Adelanto Detention Center: and
WHEREAS, Samuel works low-wage jobs like picking vegetables and washing
dishes to help support his single mother and his two U.S. citizen siblings who are
students at the Santa Ana Unified School District; and
WHEREAS, Samuel's advocacy and story has helped educate Santa Ana
residents, lawyers, policy makers, and the media, about the importance of the TRUST
ACT including pressuring Attorney General Kamala Harris to hold law enforcement
accountable when violating the law; and
Resolution No. 2016-018
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WHEREAS, Samuel received support from federal, state, and local elected
officials while he was detained, including a support letter from Congresswoman Loretta
Sanchez (D -46th) and Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D -47TH) documenting the hunger
strike Samuel undertook to protest his incarceration; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to exercise prosecutorial discretion to community
members who have long ties to the country, are not a flight risk, have community
support, and pose no threat to our country;
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: The City Council of the City of Santa Ana, California, hereby finds,
determines and declares as follows:
Immigration Customs Enforcement Director Sara Saldana, Secretary of
Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, and President Obama are urged to stop (a) the
deportation of Samuel Sixtos A#095735387, (b) protect our families from destructive
application of unjust immigration laws, and (c) exercise maximum use of prosecutorial
discretion to protect the rights of individuals who are not an enforcement priority.
SECTION 2: The City Council of the City of Santa Ana, California, hereby finds,
determines and declares as follows:
The Orange County Sheriff's Department should be held accountable for
violating Samuel Sixtos' rights, for violating CA Gov. Code 7282.5(b), established by the
TRUST ACT (AB 4), and for transferring custody of Samuel Sixtos to ICE instead of
releasing him as required by law.
Section 3: The Clerk of the Council is directed to send this Resolution to the
President of the United States, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson,
Immigration Customs Enforcement Director Sara Saldana, Immigration Customs
Enforcement Field Director David Jennings, CA State Attorney General Kamala Harris,
and the Honorable Members of the 114th Congress representing the City of Santa Ana.
Section 4: The Clerk of the Council shall certify to the passage and adoption of
this resolution and enter it into the book of original Resolutions.
Section 5: This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting
this Resolution.
ADOPTED this 15th day of March 2016.
Resolution No. 2016-018
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
By: ; �Z�'
Sonia R. Carvalho,
City Attorney
AYES: Councilmembers: Amezcua, Benavides, Martinez Pulido, Reyna
Sarmiento, Tinaiero (7)
NOES: Councilmembers: None (0)
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers: None (0)
NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers: None (0)
CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY
I, MARIA D. HUIZAR, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attest to and certify the attached
Resolution No. 2016-018 to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the
City of Santa Ana on March 15, 2016.
Date: 1A.2 (e
Clerk of the Council
City of Santa Ana
Resolution No. 2016-018
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