Amid rising tensions over immigration raids within the Los Angeles space, town of Glendale introduced Sunday night time it has ended its settlement with the federal authorities to deal with detainees captured by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“After cautious consideration, the Metropolis of Glendale has determined to finish its settlement with U.S. Homeland Safety/ICE to deal with federal immigration detainees,” town mentioned in an announcement posted on-line. “This native determination displays our core values: public security, transparency, and group belief.”
The choice got here after The Occasions reported that Glendale had continued its 2007 ICE contract and agreed to deal with detainees at its metropolis jail regardless of California passing SB 54, generally known as the California Values Act, which prohibited native and state municipalities from utilizing funds for federal immigration enforcement functions, together with using jail services. The landmark legislation made California the primary sanctuary state within the nation.
Different municipalities terminated their contracts after then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 54. However Glendale’s then-Police Chief Robert Castro, who opposed the legislation, didn’t. On the time, town supervisor warned towards nixing the contract in a bid to keep up a superb relationship with federal authorities.
In its assertion Sunday, town maintained that its settlement remained in compliance with state legislation.
“However, regardless of the transparency and safeguards the Metropolis has upheld, the Metropolis acknowledges that public notion of the ICE contract — regardless of how restricted or fastidiously managed, regardless of the nice — has turn out to be divisive,” town mentioned.
The town mentioned ending the contract would make it troublesome for some households to go to these being detained by ICE.
Sarah Houston, an immigration lawyer on the Immigrant Defenders Regulation Middle, raised the problem at a metropolis council assembly final week after studying {that a} shopper who was held in Glendale had been with out meals for 9 hours and was as a consequence of be transferred to a number of services. She questioned why Glendale was adhering to a decades-old settlement that runs afoul of SB 54, whereas metropolis council officers defended the choice.
“After the horrific raids and violations this weekend, it’s all the extra vital that our native communities stand collectively to guard our immigrant brothers and sisters as meant within the California Values Act,” she mentioned after town’s announcement.
Glendale has held no less than 82 people for ICE since January, based on Andrés Kwon, a senior coverage counsel on the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.
“With a inhabitants that’s greater than 50% immigrant, town of Glendale needs to be a beacon for immigrants’ rights,” Kwon mentioned. “As we’ve witnessed masked ICE and federal brokers abducting Angelenos, locking up whole households in basements, and separating households — how might town of Glendale make sure that the Angelenos it held for ICE weren’t unconstitutionally detained?”
Amigos Unidos for Immigrant Justice, an immigrant rights advocacy group in Glendale, mentioned in an announcement that ending the contract is the “proper step towards rebuilding belief” within the metropolis.
“As we transfer ahead, Glendale is our house, our group, and our duty. We imagine deeply in defending what makes Glendale sturdy: a dedication to equity, compassion, and civic integrity,” the group mentioned.
