Dear Editor:
On April 11, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to pass an ordinance that will stop all cooperation with ICE in our county. The San Mateo County Coalition for Immigrant Rights was instrumental in bringing about this important ordinance. I work with Pacifica Social Justice and we are proudly part of this coalition.
Basically, the ordinance prevents any county agencies from using county funds to assist ICE in any way that involves immigration law, including transfers, arrests, communication and access to non-public property.
The ordinance continues the Sheriff's policy from 2021 and gives it the force of law. Forty people on Zoom and 16 people in person spoke in favor of the ordinance. Many shared their own stories of the impact of deportation on their lives. No one spoke against it.
Unfortunately, Supervisor Ray Mueller is petitioning for an amendment to exclude some convictions from this new law. This will unnecessarily weaken the new law. His rationale is based on misinformation and fear mongering. He is exploiting people who have survived tragedies to criminalize and penalize everyone.
If the ordinance passes on second reading, San Mateo County would join many municipalities across the state and country that are committed to being a welcoming place for all — one where immigrant families can stay together and residents can access services without fear of discrimination or deportation.
Julie Starobin
Pacifica
(1) comment
"His rationale is based on misinformation and fear mongering. He is exploiting people who have survived tragedies to criminalize and penalize everyone."
No. He is not. All he wanted for the Sheriff to have the discretion to remove people who have provent they are not fit to live among civilized humans.
Conflating Rapists and Murderers with good people who are just trying to provide a better life for their families is........ignorant. Have no doubt that somebody truly awful will be released back into immigrant communities because 4 of 5 sups are too lazy to think any further than a BAN on common sense.
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