City Reaffirms Stance Against Working With Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The City on Thursday released a joint statement with the Pasadena Unified School District and the Pasadena Police Department guaranteeing that schools are safe places and that local residents can continue to use City services “without fear arising from their identity or status.”

President-Elect Donald Trump has pledged to deport millions of people living in the country illegally.

“As partners united in service to our community, the Pasadena Unified School District, the City of Pasadena, and the Pasadena Police Department are committed to maintaining safe and welcoming spaces for everyone,” the joint statement reads.

Trump has promised to conduct the largest mass deportations in the nation’s history, with the help of the National Guard if necessary, and plans to use the military as part of the crackdown to stop the flow of immigrants and fentanyl into the country.

All Saints Church in Pasadena reaffirmed itself as a sanctuary church on Wednesday in a statement to Pasadena Now.

“We declared ourselves a sanctuary church in 2017, we still are a sanctuary church, and being so is more important now than ever,” said Priest-in-charge Tim Rich.

Other local churches, including the Pasadena Mennonite Church, are discussing taking a stand.

“My own convictions are that we need churches that are publicly open as sanctuaries,” said Katerina Gea, pastor at Pasadena Mennonite Church. “That could mean housing people or opening our own homes. We need to stand with those that are undocumented and are experiencing unjust immigration policies. We are having conversations about it, and many share those values.”

Pasadena was in a similar position in 2016 after Trump defeated Hilary Clinton.

After that election, leaders in some local churches and the School District declared their spaces sanctuary safe spaces.

Meanwhile, City did not declare itself a sanctuary city, because there is no legal distinction connected to the term; City leaders said people would not be arrested or detained based on their immigrant status. The City also said it would not cooperate with federal immigration officials.

City leaders reiterated that stance on Thursday.

“The City of Pasadena is mindful of the need to ensure that residents should be able to call on essential City services without fear arising from their identity or status. The City of Pasadena adopted a policy in March 2017 that states that City employees must maintain the confidentiality of resident’s personal information (especially regarding immigration status, religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicity), provide services without discrimination, and are prohibited from assisting in federal immigration enforcement unless legally required,” the statement reads.

The City Council has passed several resolutions proclaiming the City would not work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“The City of Pasadena hereby supports a humane and comprehensive immigration reform proposal with the following principles: provides an attainable and affordable pathway to full citizenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States; family unity as a cornerstone of our immigration system; provides due process and labor protections; allows access to key essential services such as health care; and local governments should not be mandated to enforce federal immigration laws, particularly when resources necessary to enforce local laws are already stretched.”

The City Council unanimously passed an official resolution in 2017 declaring that “The City of Pasadena will not enforce federal immigration laws and the City Manager will ensure that all City policies are consistent with this declaration.”

In an interview with Time Magazine, Trump said he would target between 15 million and 20 million people living illegally in the US.

Some experts say there are only about 10 million people living illegally in the country, according the Pew Research Center.

“No one’s off the table,” said Tom Homon, who has been named Trump’s border czar. “If you’re here illegally, you better be looking over your shoulder.”

According to the City statement Thursday, “We recognize that the recent election and some of the intense rhetoric surrounding it may be impacting individuals in our community. It’s important to reaffirm our shared commitment to safety and respect for all, regardless of race, immigration status, identity, or circumstance … Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of students and employees in our schools, our residents and neighbors, workers, and visitors. We appreciate the respect, kindness, and sensitivity that so many of you are demonstrating to help us maintain a safe and supportive environment for children in our schools and everyone in our community.”

“We encourage members of our community to reach out with any concerns.”