Copyright timesofsandiego
Citing a spike in Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and arrests, the San Diego City Council unanimously gave tentative approval to an ordinance Monday intended to prevent local law enforcement from joining certain federal task forces. The Due Process and Safety Ordinance will set “clear legal boundaries that protect residents, workers, and visitors regardless of immigration status, gender identity, disability, or healthcare decisions,” according to a staff document from Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera’s office. City staff will meet with recognized employee organizations such as the San Diego Police Officers Association to ensure the SDPD will be able to effectively do its job without joining certain task forces led by the federal government. Elo-Rivera, who sponsored the ordinance, thanked the dozens of people who spoke at the meeting and acknowledged that many in the community may not have felt safe to speak out. “We can’t promise that the federal government won’t make your nightmares a reality,” he said to young residents in the council chamber waiting for the vote. “I so badly wish I could make that promise to you. Every day the Trump regime makes good on its promise of cruelty, hatred and vindictiveness.” The ordinance passed Monday — which still must return to the council for a second vote, likely next month — would require ICE or DHS agents to have a judicial warrants to access non-public areas of city-controlled property. Additionally, it would require any entity receiving city funding such as contractors to “mirror the city’s warrant and non-cooperation standards” and prohibit local law enforcement from “involvement in discriminatory or unauthorized enforcement actions targeting individuals based on immigration status, gender identity, reproductive care, disability status, or other protected characteristics,” according to a staff report. A final facet of the ordinance focuses on protecting data privacy and would require multilingual “Know Your Rights” education across all city and city-funded sites. Through July of this year, ICE had arrested more than triple the number of people as all of 2024 — 1,990 compared to last year’s 603. Additionally, the majority of those arrested had no criminal record — 1,037 to 2024’s 155 — a nearly seven-fold increase, city officials said. “Across the nation we have seen the harm of policies that target immigrants, restrict reproductive freedom and attack equity,” said Councilman Henry Foster III. “We are taking a step here in San Diego to show we will not stand for the ignorance we are facing every day. “(The ordinance) holds up civil rights by preventing the city from sharing data on protected classes.” Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert and Councilman Raul Campillo both said the ordinance would continue to allow the San Diego Police Department to join task forces cracking down on drug and human trafficking. Von Wilpert praised the language of the bill as a “tough needle” threaded. Campillo delivered a speech in Spanish to assure Spanish-speaking city residents their rights would be protected. The anxiety in the room was noticed by the council members. “We’ve seen more anguish and fear and despair in this afternoon than I’ve seen in five years on the City Council,” said Councilman Stephen Whitburn. “It’s sobering that is just a small taste.” Council President Joe LaCava praised residents and local organizations for “fighting good fights,” and said the city would follow suit. “Neighbors and friends are being detained even though they have the right to be in this country,” he said. “Today is not the end of our actions, but the beginning.”
