Santa Cruz denounces Trump’s move to defund “sanctuary cities”
President Donald Trump is moving forward with his campaign promises. On Wednesday, he signed executive actions to build a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, deport undocumented immigrants and stop federal funding for “sanctuary cities,” unless the money goes toward law enforcement.
But the tone among those cities on the Central Coast is one of defiance.
“Federal immigration law belongs with federal agencies. This is something the city has been telling the federal government for 20 years, that comprehensive immigration reform is required,”said Scott Collins, Santa Cruz deputy city manager. “Don’t put that responsibility on cities and on counties.”
Santa Cruz receives up to a few million dollars from the government each year for social service programs, city infrastructure, police and sometimes fire departments. Officials are now looking into alternatives.
“It would be a significant impact if it’s carried out across all federal departments that provide grants to Santa Cruz,” Collin said.
With or without federal money, Collin said the city is not giving up its sanctuary status. And residents said undocumented immigrants, who haven’t broken any law since coming here, are a vital part of the labor force.
“Many people came here to work the very jobs that many Americans don’t want to work, and in many cases, they are the people that keep our local economy going,” Santa Cruz resident Glen Schaller said.
But others on social media said they support the president. “…sanctuary cities absolutely should lose federal funding. It’s insane when Americans are gunned down on the wharf in San Francisco by a man whose (who’s) violent and been deported,” Anastasia Mahoff wrote.
These executive actions are the beginning to a long process that could take months or years to fully implement. In the meantime, Santa Cruz city officials said they will work on a plan to defend the community, even if that means taking legal action against the federal government.
