As whole neighborhoods in Los Angeles burn to the ground, city council members in nearby Long Beach voted to double down on their sanctuary city policies, vowing to resist President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for mass deportations.
Long Beach joins an ever-growing list of Democrat-controlled cities and states vowing to resist the Trump administration's plans to crack down on illegal immigration. Among other provisions, the measure allocates an additional $200,000 in city funding to give immigrants facing deportation free legal representation.
Local outlet the Long Beach Post reported that the council voted on Tuesday to further strengthen the "Long Beach Values Act," originally passed during the first Trump presidency in 2017.
PHOTO GALLERY: CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES BEFORE AND AFTER
Speaking before the vote, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, a Democrat, said: "Today, we find ourselves preparing for again an administration that outwardly challenged some of our values and beliefs."
"It’s going to be a challenge – these next few years – but I’m confident, if we continue to work together, continue to support one another, we’re going to get through this," said Richardson. "No matter who is in power in Washington, I believe that we have a responsibility to stand firm on our principles, so all of our residents feel safe and seen and protected regardless of how they pray, or who they love or where they were born."
The $200,000 in extra funding adds to an already-existing $1.1 million available to immigrants for legal representation against removal through the "Long Beach Justice Fund."
The measure also prohibits third-party city contractors from sharing city data with federal immigration enforcement and requests that other city authorities – including police oversight, the city attorney, city prosecutor and city auditor – formally commit to complying with the Long Beach Values Act.
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The measure’s passage was celebrated by local immigrant rights activist group Órale, which called it a "significant step towards true sanctuary status that will tangibly improve our community members' lives."
While Richardson projected confidence in resisting Trump’s agenda, the Long Beach Post reported that a Dec. 31 memo by Deputy City Manager Meredith Reynolds to city officials warned that Long Beach stands to lose millions in federal funding if they do not cooperate with immigration authorities.
Trump’s incoming border czar Tom Homan told Fox News in November that local officials who obstruct ICE or federal authorities from enforcing the law will face consequences.
"Don’t cross that line because it is a felony to harbor and conceal an illegal alien from ICE," said Homan.
