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A southern California town with a large migrant population is considering a motion that would revoke the city’s sanctuary city status, prompting backlash from residents.
The motion, debated in San Diego’s El Cajon City Council this week, would also assist federal immigration authorities in their deportation efforts “to the maximum legal extent permissible.” President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intent to enact a multi-billion dollar mass deportation plan.
City council members discussed “the possibility of declaring the City of El Cajon as a non-sanctuary city,” according to minutes from the meeting.
Mayor Bill Wells, who proposed the resolution, said the move was an attempt to get clarification on the town’s legal responsibilities since California’s Senate Bill 54 prohibits local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration efforts.
“We have the federal government saying we could be prosecuted if we don’t cooperate with them, we’ve got the state government saying our police officers could be prosecuted if they do cooperate with the federal government,” Wells told CBS 8.
After Trump won a second term, California Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to “Trump-proof” California’s laws.
A vote on the controversial resolution was postponed following reaction from local residents, CBS 8 reported. The resolution will be returned to city staff for revision.
Human rights advocate Pedro Rios of the American Friends Service Committee told CBS 8 that the resolution was an attempt at “fearmongering.”
“It is driven by an anti-immigrant fervor that is concerning for residents in El Cajon who might fear that suddenly the police will be after them, asking them for papers,” he said.
“It will destroy the life of so many families who only want to work in peace,” another resident said. A third said the resolution would make the town feel like “a police state against brown people.”
“This is not about taking our police force and turning them into Border Patrol agents, this is about cooperating with the federal government and following the law,” Wells said.
“The intention is not to take our police department and have them rounding people up, that’s not the intention at all,” he added.
Another point of contention was opposition to arresting “good” citizens who are in the city illegally.
“The City remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of its residents, particularly those most vulnerable to criminal activities such as human trafficking and drug distribution,” the resolution states, according to meeting minutes.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the town for comment.
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