The City and County intend to protect its 22+ percent immigrant population
By ONME Newswire
Since day one of the Trump Administration's day in office, January 20, President Donald J. Trump has signed over 75 executive orders, some abruptly disrupting the status quo of how the federal operates.
However it was the immigration issue that was a top priority of all the executive orders; according to ProPublica, there were 10 orders related to immigration in all. And within them lay dozens of policy changes that, if implemented, would upend the immigration system and the lives of millions.
PropPuclica also reported that Trump has paused the resettlement of tens of thousands of refugees who’d already been vetted and approved to relocate to the United States, including as many as 15,000 Afghans. He ended humanitarian parole for immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela and Nicaragua leaving more than 500,000 already living here in legal limbo. He launched his promised effort to round up and remove millions of unauthorized immigrants starting with those accused of violent crimes, though less than half of the approximately 8,200 people arrested from Jan. 20 through Feb. 2 so far have criminal convictions, according to government data obtained by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune.
Meanwhile, California is preparing for potential legal battles with the Trump Administration, especially regarding the immigration executive orders being implemented. During his first presidency, California sued Trump 123 times according to Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office. And now these new executive orders singed by President Trump during his second term are impeding on the California laws regarding immigration.
The 2017 California Senate Bill 54, commonly referred to as "SB 54" and also known as the "California Values Act" is a 2017 California state law that prevents state and local law enforcement agencies from using their resources on behalf of federal immigration enforcement agencies. The law went into effect on January 1, 2018. Also under this law, schools cannot share personal information about students or their families for immigration enforcement purposes.
However the Trump Administration rescinded the Protected Areas Policy, which protected sensitive areas such as schools, churches, and hospitals from immigration enforcement.
There is now a local response being implemented due to these actions and growing concerns over immigration enforcement; Fresno City Council Vice President Miguel Angel Arias and Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez are leading the formation of a City/County Immigration Affairs Working Group. This collaborative effort aims to ensure that Fresno’s diverse immigrant community continues to receive guidance and support.
The new City/County working group will bring together key stakeholders to develop
solutions focused on keeping families together, coordinating policy efforts, supporting
education and outreach, and securing state funding to support this critical work.
“As an immigrant who has personally experienced immigration raids in the Central
Valley fields, I understand the fear and uncertainty that arises from the constant threat
of deportation. By fostering collaboration between the City and County, we can ensure
that the same individuals who protected us from empty grocery shelves during a
pandemic have the same level of support throughout our region and are not unjustly
targeted or adversely affected by harmful policies," said Council Vice President Miguel A.
Arias.
“A joint working group will play a crucial role in ensuring that we are collaborating
effectively with the City, fostering an environment of support and efficiency. Given the
heightened anxiety and fear within the immigrant community, it is essential that we take
deliberate steps to alleviate their concerns. Our primary focus is to ensure the safety
and protection of families and children, providing them with the reassurance they need," said Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez.
“The Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative (CVIIC) celebrates the creation
of the working group. The joint collaboration between the City of Fresno, the County of
Fresno, and participating agencies reflects a recognition of the economic, social, and
cultural significance of immigration to our region, as well as underscoring the value of
our immigrant residents. CVIIC is committed to joining these efforts and continue
offering free immigration legal services, entrepreneurship training opportunities, and
digital literacy courses, thereby contributing to the development of a dynamic economy
that makes it possible to achieve socio-economic mobility," said Jesus Martinez, Executive
Director of CVIIC.
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