daily californian logo

BERKELEY'S NEWS • SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

Apply to The Daily Californian by September 8th!

Donald Trump considers releasing border immigrants into sanctuary cities, drawing backlash from Berkeley officials

article image

GAGE SKIDMORE | CREATIVE COMMONS

SUPPORT OUR NONPROFIT NEWSROOM

We're an independent student-run newspaper, and need your support to maintain our coverage.

APRIL 15, 2019

City of Berkeley officials have condemned President Donald Trump’s statement that he is “considering” releasing immigrants detained at the U.S.-Mexico border into sanctuary cities.

Trump made these comments Friday on Twitter and at a press conference. If his statement results in immigration policy, sanctuary cities such as Berkeley could face an influx of immigrants. Berkeley officials, however, responded to the president’s comments by criticizing Trump’s use of immigrants as a political tool.

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín said that though the city would welcome immigrants, Trump’s use of immigrants in “political theater” is “immoral.”

“If the president was serious about working with local communities to develop a resettlement program, that’s one conversation, but in reality, he’s using them as pawns on a political chessboard,” Arreguín said. “People are not inanimate objects — they’re human beings. We can’t talk about their fate in such a callous manner.”

Berkeley has held its sanctuary city status since 1971 when it became the first city in the country to do so in order to protect conscientious objectors to the Vietnam War, according to Arreguín’s website.

District 7 City Councilmember Rigel Robinson said in an email that it now falls to local governments to oppose the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

“I’m proud that Berkeley is and will forever be a sanctuary city,” Robinson said in an email. “We need more local governments across the country to step up and resist the heartless policies of this morally bankrupt administration.”

Berkeley is currently considering other sanctuary city legislation, including a Sanctuary Contracting Ordinance that would prohibit the city from entering new public contracts with companies that are data brokers for the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement. The City Council will vote on this ordinance at its regular meeting April 23, according to assistant to the mayor Stefan Elgstrand.

ASUC External Affairs Vice President Nuha Khalfay said in an email that she believes Trump’s comments were meant to “shame” cities that have supported immigrants.

“Berkeley should be proud to be a sanctuary city,” Khalfay said in an email. “There are a number of undocumented students at UC Berkeley, and the university should continue to support these students with student life, mental health, and legal resources.”

Though Trump’s comments are not currently backed by policy, complying with such a statement could pose challenges for Berkeley. If enacted, it would raise important questions regarding housing and other resources and require collaboration with the state and governor’s office, according to Arreguín.

“We will step in and welcome and serve these people,” Arreguín said. “But to do it without coordination with local and state government is irresponsible. It shows the callous nature of this administration.”

Contact Alexandra Stassinopoulos at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @AE_Stass.
LAST UPDATED

APRIL 16, 2019


Related Articles

featured article
Berkeley City Council will vote Tuesday on a Sanctuary Contracting Ordinance, which would prevent the city from entering into contracts with businesses that act as data brokers or provide extreme vetting services to ICE.
Berkeley City Council will vote Tuesday on a Sanctuary Contracting Ordinance, which would prevent the city from entering into contracts with businesses that act as data brokers or provide extreme vetting services to ICE.
featured article
featured article
A new exhibit, “Building Bridges, Not Walls: Berkeley, America’s First Sanctuary City,” opened Sunday morning at the Veterans Memorial Building in Berkeley.
A new exhibit, “Building Bridges, Not Walls: Berkeley, America’s First Sanctuary City,” opened Sunday morning at the Veterans Memorial Building in Berkeley.
featured article
featured article
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against California in March, alleging that its sanctuary state laws are unconstitutional. The lawsuit focuses on AB 450, AB 103 and SB 54, three state bills that prohibit private citizens and local police from releasing information pertaining to immigration status to federal immigration authorities.
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against California in March, alleging that its sanctuary state laws are unconstitutional. The lawsuit focuses on AB 450, AB 103 and SB 54, three state bills that prohibit private citizens and local police from releasing information pertaining to immigration status to federal immigration authorities.
featured article