Salinas City Council to discuss immigration resolution

The Salinas City Council is expected to discuss a resolution regarding immigration statuses on Tuesday night.

The resolution calls for a clear position that everyone be treated equally, with dignity and respect, regardless of nationality and immigration status. It includes five components that aim to clarify the city’s use of resources to support immigration support.

1. City of Salinas officials and employees, including its law enforcement officers, shall not take any direct action against an individual solely because of his/her immigration status.

2. The City of Salinas shall not use its resources, including personnel resources, technology, facilities, equipment or funds to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration regulations, which is the exclusive authority of the federal government.

3. In accordance with state and federal laws the City of Salinas, including the Salinas Police Department, will continue to cooperate with federal immigration agencies in matters involving criminal activity and the protection of public safety.

4. Nothing in this resolution shall be construed to prohibit city employees, including Salinas police officers, from cooperating with federal immigration agencies when they are required to do so by statute, federal regulation, court decision or a legally binding agreement.

5. Nothing in this resolution shall be construed or implemented to conflict with any obligation imposed by federal law. City staff shall monitor any efforts by the federal government to withhold or withdraw federal funding as a result of the city’s policies and practices with regard to its immigrant community and shall take all actions necessary to protect such funding.

“If you’re committing a criminal act, regardless of what nationality you are or legal status, it will be dealt with,” said Salinas Council Member Tony Barrera, “But this is a sign (the resolution) to show our undocumented residents that we are there to support them.”

While the resolution looks to establish protective policies, councilmembers say it doesn’t officially designate Salinas as a sanctuary city. However, the city’s stance would then be similar to those in other major cities like San Francisco, New York and Chicago.

“What we want to do is be able to tell the people, we’re here to support you, not necessarily calling it a “sanctuary city,” but it’s going to be perceived as such, but we are here to comfort our undocumented residents,” Barrera said.

Because President Donald Trump has threatened to eliminate funding for so-called sanctuary cities, the final component of the resolution calls for city staff to keep an eye on any efforts by the feds to withdraw funding as a result of the city’s policies. The city gets about $25 million in federal funding.

Several people we spoke to in Salinas say they’re happy the city is standing behind law-abiding undocumented immigrants.

“What would we do without immigrants?” Maribel asked. “What would Salinas be? What would any other city be? You know, where would all the field workers go and everybody else? It’s like, us immigrants are the city.”

There will be an immigration forum later this week, with representatives from local law enforcement there to answer questions. It will be Thursday at 6 p.m. at Jesse Sanchez Elementary School in Salinas.