Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors unanimously passes reaffirming the title ‘Sanctuary County’

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) -- One item on Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting in Santa Cruz County was a resolution to reaffirm its Sanctuary County status.

The board unanimously passed the resolution, stating that in light of the recent presidential election and threats of restrictive immigrant policies, the county feels it's more important now than ever "to strengthen resources to help protect and support immigrant communities against policies that may negatively impact the safety and wellbeing of the members of those communities.

"It is important for Santa Cruz County to reaffirm its commitment to support and protect the safety and wellbeing of immigrants in our community that may become victims of these discriminatory policies," they continued.

Santa Cruz County emphasized the importance of the immigrant community within the area, stressing that the population contributes significantly to the "social and economic fabric of our region."

The supervisors say that 17.4% of county residents are foreign-born and it is critical to secure access to economic security, empowerment, civic engagement, safety and protection from discrimination, oppression and violence for this community.

"A strong community is one that values inclusion, embraces diversity, and invests in the well-being of all its residents and Santa Cruz County serves as a model for a just and equitable society for all of its residents," wrote the supervisors in their agenda packet.