In response to the election of Donald Trump, several Bay Area cities and counties passed Resolutions to reaffirm their support for community members at risk of being targeted by proposed policies from the upcoming administration. Some of those communities include, but are not limited to, those who are Muslim, undocumented, or are from certain countries. Listed below are City Councils and County Boards that took the principled stance of supporting these communities, even if it meant they were to risk losing federal funds for not cooperating with these potential policies, such as the Muslim Registry or working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport millions of those undocumented. Please take a moment of your time to write a letter of thanks to these elected officials who stood up to denounce policies that would tear apart families and cause irreparable harm.
Alameda School Board
a. 1/24/17 – Safe Haven Resolution
i.“RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Board of Education affirms and uphold Alameda Unified School District’s unequivocal commitment to ensuring a safe educational environment for all, committing itself to AUSD being a safe haven school district for students and families threatened by immigration enforcement or discrimination, to the fullest extent of the law.”
Berkeley School Board
a. 12/7/16 – Protection of Undocumented Students
i. “All students have the right to attend public school and enjoy access to equitable educational and programmatic services regardless of the immigration status of the student or of the student’s family members.”
b. 11/9/16 – Community Message on the 2016 Election
i. “As educators, counselors, and community members, we need to support our children and each other through what may be a traumatic time for many, and in particular those who have felt targeted and marginalized by divisive rhetoric and actions during this election cycle – black families, immigrant families, Muslim families, women, the LGBTQ community, the disabled – the list goes on.”
City of Alameda
a. 1/17/17: Adoption of Resolution Affirming the City of Alameda’s Commitment to the Values of Dignity, Inclusivity, and Respect for All Individuals, Regardless of Ethnic or National Origin, Gender, Race, Religious Affiliation, Sexual Orientation, or Immigration Status.
i. Ayes: Councilmembers Ashcraft, Matarrese, Oddie, Vice Mayor Vella. Absent: Mayor Spencer
While President-elect Trump has stated in speeches and in position papers that he intends to cancel all federal funding to jurisdictions that support “sanctuary city” policies, if the Council chooses to pass this resolution it is reaffirming the stand the City has taken for many years against biased, racist, and unconstitutional acts against undocumented individuals. The draft resolution and the City’s past stance is to provide public safety for all, regardless of immigration status.
City of Berkeley
a. 12/13/16 – Expanding Berkeley’s Hate-Free Zone, and showing support for multiple communities feeling vulnerable and under attack
i. “WHEREAS, numerous Muslims are facing, what the Council on American Islamic Relations described as an accelerated spike in Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim rhetoric that have triggered an unbelievable spike of hate crimes targeting Muslims and other minorities with more than 100 incidents specifically targeting Muslims post-election; “
ii. “NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The City of Berkeley sends a clear message to all of our vulnerable threatened communities that we accept them, value them and respect them. Furthermore our city and our leaders will offer solidarity, stand up and speak out against hate speech, hate behavior and hate crimes, and that we will do everything we can to protect people during these difficult days.”
iii. Ayes: Bartlett, Davila, Droste, Hahn, Maio, Wengraf, Worthington, and Arreguin (unanimous)
b. 11/29/16 – Reaffirming City of Refuge Status
i. Ayes: Arreguin, Capitelli, Droste, Maio, Moore, Wengraf, Worthington, and Bates, Absent: Anderson
iii. “BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Berkeley will not condone or tolerate hate crimes or incidents, and will prosecute hate crimes to the fullest extent of the law; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Berkeley, if necessary, will renew its opposition to the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) that was in place from 2002- 2005 and targeted approximately 93,000 boys and men from majority-Muslim nations, led to the deportation of nearly 14,000 and did not result in one terrorism charge,”
City of Fremont
a. 11/28/16 – Open Letter to the Fremont Community
b. “Many community members have recounted in great detail how these interactions have left them feeling scared and fearful in their daily lives. Civility must continue to be our utmost priority, and there is no excuse to act disrespectfully toward certain members of our community because of the color of their skin, their religious beliefs, or their sexual orientation. We cannot and will not stand for this behavior in our community.”
c. Mayor Bill Harrison, Vice Mayor Rick Jones, Councilmembers Suzanne Lee Chan, Vinnie Bacon, and Lily Mei
City of Oakland
a. 11/29/16 – Resolution Denouncing Tactics Used to Intimidate Immigrants Residing in Oakland and Re-Affirming the City’s Declaration as a City of Refuge
b. Ayes: Brooks, Campbell Washington, Gallo, Guillen, Kalb, Kaplan, Reid and President Gibson Mcelhaney (unanimous)
d. “RESOLVED: That the Oakland City Council opposes immigration raids and calls upon the federal government to impose a moratorium in order to protect the civil rights of immigrant communities until such time as the U.S. Congress implements comprehensive immigration reforms that are fair and humane and which recognize the economic and cultural contributions of immigrants; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Oakland City Council reaffirms the declaration that Oakland is a City of Refuge for immigrants from all countries; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That in accordance with State and Federal laws, City employees including members of the Oakland Police Department shall not enforce Federal civil immigration laws and shall not use city monies, resources or personnel to investigate, question, detect or apprehend persons whose only violation is or may be a civil violation of immigration law; ”
City of East Palo Alto *Pending
a. 2/15/17 – East Palo Alto conducts study session to strengthen immigrant protections
i. “(S)ince 2007, the City has adopted three separate resolutions addressing the issue of immigration reform. Although the City has not declared itself a sanctuary city, its policies on immigration reform align in both substance and spirit with other sanctuary jurisdictions.”
City of Palo Alto
a. 12/12/16 – Colleagues Memo Reaffirming Palo Alto’s Commitment to a Diverse, Supportive, Inclusive, and Protective Community
b. Council Member Holman, Council Member Kniss, Council Member Wolbach, Council Member Burt
c. http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/55179
d. “NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto takes this opportunity to reinforce our commitment to a diverse, supportive, inclusive, and protective community and RESOLVES as follows:
The City of Palo Alto rejects bigotry in all its forms, including but not limited to Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, racism, nativism, misogyny, and homophobia; and
The City of Palo Alto does not tolerate discrimination, hate crimes, harassment, or assault;
The City of Palo Alto will oppose any attempts to undermine the safety, security, and rights of members of our community; and
The City of Palo Alto recognizes, values, and will proactively work to ensure the rights and privileges of everyone in Palo Alto, regardless of religion, ancestry, country of birth, immigration status, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity; and
The City of Palo Alto will promote actual safety, a sense of security, and equal protection of constitutional and human rights, leading by example through equitable treatment of all by City officials and departments.”
e. http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/12/15/palo-alto-schools-council-take-steps-to-protect-undocumented-immigrants/
City of Richmond
a. 12/6/16 – Resolution of the Richmond City Council in Response to the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election
i. Ayes: Councilmember Beckles, McLaughlin, Myrick, Pimplé, Vice Mayor Martinez, and Mayor Butt
ii. “WHEREAS, Arab and Muslim Americans, and those perceived as Muslims, are frequently the targets of abusive and discriminatory police practices sanctioned by government bodies including surveillance in their neighborhoods and places of worship;”
iii. “WHEREAS, The City of Richmond adopted Resolution 7-16 on January 19, 2016 in opposition to Islamophobia;”
iv. “BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we still believe in this nation’s founding principle of religious freedom and do not ban people for their faith;”
v. “BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we condemn all hate crimes and hate speech perpetrated in this election’s wake. That although the United States will soon have a President who has demonstrated a lack of respect for the values we hold in the highest regard in Richmond, it cannot change who we are, and it will never change our values. We argue, we campaign, we debate vigorously within Richmond, but on these points we are 100 percent united. We will fight discrimination and recklessness in all its forms. We are ONE Richmond. And we will move forward together.”
b. 2/22/17 – Trump Impeachment Resolution
i. Ayes: Councilmember Choi, Martinez, McLaughlin, Myrick, Willis, Vice Mayor Beckles, and Mayor Butt
WHEREAS, from the moment he took office, President Trump was in violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause and the Domestic Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution; and,
WHEREAS, these violations undermine the integrity of the Presidency, corruptly advance the personal wealth of the President, and violate the public trust; and, WHEREAS, our democracy is premised on the bedrock principle that no one is above the law, not even the President of the United States. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Richmond City Council, hereby calls upon the United States House of Representatives to support a resolution authorizing and directing the House Committee on the Judiciary to investigate whether sufficient grounds exist for the impeachment of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, including but not limited to the violations listed herein
City of San Jose Mayor’s Statement
a. “We will Not Tolerate “Hate Crimes” in San José…We Will Not Allow Our Police To Be Used for Federal Immigration Enforcement…
b. “We Will Protect the Constitutional Rights of San José Residents
Campaign rhetoric does not always receive the benefit of prior thoughtful analysis, so we cannot know if assertions made on the stump — such as those relating to Muslim “registries” — will materialize into action. Nonetheless, we will closely monitor any proposed legislation or executive actions from the new administration, and work closely with our congressional representatives, other major cities, and if necessary, the courts, to protect the Constitutional rights of our residents. We’ve had success joining together in the past and will be prepared to do so again.”
City of Santa Clara – Discussion Postponed
a. 12/6/16 –
b. “WHEREAS, consistent with the law and with Council policy the Santa Clara Police Department does not enforce federal civil immigration laws, does not conduct immigration raids, and does not question detain or arrest individuals solely on the basis that they might be in this country illegally in violation of federal civil immigration laws.”
City/County of San Francisco
a. 11/15/16 – Resolution responding to the election of Donald Trump and reaffirming San Francisco’s commitment to the values his election threatens.
i. Ayes: Avalos, Breed, Campos, Cohen, Farrell, Kim, Mar, Peskin, and Tang, Excused: Wiener and Yee
iii. “FURTHER RESOLVED, That we still believe in this nation’s founding principle of religious freedom; we do not ban people for their faith; the only lists we keep are on invitations to come pray together;”
iv. “FURTHER RESOLVED, That we condemn all hate crimes and hate speech perpetrated in this election’s wake; that although the United States will soon have a President who has demonstrated a lack of respect for the values we hold in the highest regard in San Francisco, it cannot change who we are, and it will never change our values; we argue, we campaign, we debate vigorously within San Francisco, but on these points we are 100% united; we will fight discrimination and recklessness in all its forms; we are one City; and we will move forward together.”
b. 1/31/17 – City and County of San Francisco vs. Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of American, John F. Kelly, Secretary of United States Department of Homeland Security, Dana J. Boente, Acting Attorney General of the United States
i. In blatant disregard of the law, the President of the United States seeks to coerce local authorities into abandoning what are known as “Sanctuary City” laws and policies.”
ii. “San Francisco is safer when all people, including undocumented immigrants, feel safe reporting crimes. San Francisco is healthier when all residents, including undocumented immigrants, access public health programs. And San Francisco is economically and socially stronger when all children, including undocumented immigrants, attend school. Using city and county resources for federal immigration enforcement breeds distrust of local government and officials who have no power to change federal laws, and can also wrench apart family and community structures that support residents and thus conserve resources. For these reasons among others, San Francisco has directed its employees and officers not to assist the Federal government in enforcing federal immigration law, with limited exceptions.”
c. 3/17/17 – Non-Cooperation with Identity-Based Registry
i. “Ordinance amending the Administrative Code to prohibit the City from using resources to create, implement, provide investigation or information for, enforce, or otherwise assist or support any government program requiring the registration of individuals on the basis of religion, national origin. or ethnicity; or creating a database of individuals on the basis of religion, national origin, or ethnicity.”
ii. “(S)uch a registry or database would be very dangerous. It would demean those in our community included in the registry or database, and would foster the very prejudice and discrimination that federal, state, and local laws are designed to combat. It would teach people that hate, fear, and suspicion of religious minorities is permissible. Misguided individuals could see the registry or database as sanctioning the commission of hate crimes against religious minorities in general. and especially against those individuals whose religion – or perceived religion – is targeted as the basis [or inclusion in the registry or database. At the same time, those individuals the government seeks to label by religion would naturally be reluctant to interact with government beyond what is absolutely necessary.”
City of San Leandro
a. 2/21/17 – Resolution Affirming the City of San Leandro’s Commitment to the Values of Dignity, Inclusivity, and Respect for All Individuals, Regardless of Ethnic or National Origin, Gender, Race, Religious Affiliation, Sexual Orientation, or Immigration Status and Declaring the City of San Leandro a Sanctuary City
i. RESOLVED, That the San Lorenzo Unified School Board of Education directs the Superintendent to support the creation of a Safe Haven School District. This status shall include: • Promoting tolerance and acceptance over hate speech; • Restricting the sharing of student files that may be used to ascertain the legal status of students; • Designating school sites, facilities, and equipment as safe havens for students, families and the community; • Allocating adequate resources necessary to support diversity, inclusion, and the values of a multicultural society;
ii. RESOLVED further, That the San Lorenzo Unified School Board will work closely with the county, state and community organizations to ensure our students and families are offered a protected space at all district school sites and facilities
City of San Pablo
a. 3/6/17 – Official City Statement on Federal Immigration Policy
i. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of San Pablo reaffirms its support for a comprehensive immigration reform that is fair and pursues a path to citizenship.
ii. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of San Pablo will increase and strengthen partnerships with trusted community-based and legal services organizations with the objective of providing legal and other resources to families facing adverse immigration enforcement actions.
iii. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the City of San Pablo will continue to promote an atmosphere of respect for all residents and employees and denounce and address hate speech directed at any resident, employee or visitor including immigrants, people of color, Muslims, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals and members of other protected groups.
Oakland Unified School District
a. 12/14/16 – Approval of Resolution Reaffirming District Facilities, Programs Are A Sanctuary for All Children and Adults
b. “In response to growing fears that governmental actions towards immigrants will have a chilling effect on the educational rights of immigrant students and families, the proposed resolution restates the Board of Education’s position that all students have the right to attend school regardless of the immigration status of the child or of the child’s family members. It also provides that students will not be discriminated against because of their actual or perceived immigrant status, will not seek information about immigration status, and will take steps to protect personally identifiable information for being used for immigration enforcement to the extent possible. The District will distribute the resolution, develop an implementation plan, and will train staff about its contents.”
Palo Alto School Board
a. 12/13/16 – Resolution Affirming Palo Alto Unified School District’s Support of Its Students and Families Regarding Immigration Enforcement Actions at Schools
i. “THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
• That principals and school staff are encouraged to work with and support families and students who express concern about immigration enforcement actions at school, including students who may not be attending school because of such concerns,
• That Palo Alto Unified School District schools be considered sanctuaries for students to the fullest extent allowed by law,
• That if ICE agents request information or access to a school site, this request should promptly be communicated to the Office of the Superintendent for review and approval, and so that the Office of the Superintendent may seek legal advice if needed.”
Santa Clara County
a. 12/13/16 – Responding to the 2016 Presidential Election and affirming our commitment to our values
i. Resolution-3 Ayes: Cortese, Chavez, and Yeager, 2 abstentions: Wasserman and Simitian
“WHEREAS, the President-Elect has threatened to create a registry of Muslim Americans, to ban all Muslims from entering the country, to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, to build a wall on the country’s border with Mexico, to impose an ideological test for entry to the United States, and to withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities; and
“BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Santa Clara County condemns the hate crimes and other forms of harassment that have targeted women, immigrants, religious minorities, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ individuals leading up to and following the presidential election;”
“BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Santa Clara County calls on President-Elect Trump to serve and protect all Americans, without prejudice on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or disability; to serve as President without regard for ego or personal gain; to conduct himself in the ethical, dignified, and diplomatic manner expected of the President of the United States of America; to respect facts, science, truth, the Constitution of the United States of America, and the Bill of Rights; and to promulgate policies for the general welfare of our entire nation.”
b. 12/13/16 Resolution – Receive report and provide direction relating to a proposed plan for providing outreach to the immigrant community and legal representation to victims of mass deportation. (County Counsel)
West Contra Costa Board of Education
a. Support of Students who are Undocumented, Muslim, or Persons of Color and their Families and Protocols for Immigration and Customs Enforcement Access to Schools
i. “WHEREAS, members of the Muslim faith are part of the fabric of our local communities and deserving of the same respect and equal protections that all people enjoy regardless of religious ideology;”
c. 2/3/17 – Santa Clara County Sues Trump Administration to Block Unconstitutional Executive Order Punishing “Sanctuary” Jurisdictions
i. “The President’s order is an unconstitutional attempt to coerce state and local governments into assisting with mass deportation,” said County Counsel James R. Williams. “We will resist any effort to illegally withhold funding for critical County services that support the health, safety, and wellbeing of all our residents.”
ii. “Santa Clara County, the home of Silicon Valley, is a welcoming community that embraces immigrants and we will resist any effort to divide us,” said Dave Cortese, President of the Board of Supervisors. “Immigrants contribute to the very fabric of our nation and we will not stand by while the Trump Administration seeks to impose un-American and illegal policies that undermine our values.”