Sanctuary city actions worry some leaders

KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2’s Lauren Coronado met with local authorities to talk about Sanctuary Cities and law enforcement’s stance on federal immigration law within the Coachella Valley.

Immigration activists are raising concerns over the crackdown being proposed by President Trump’s administration — and that includes building the border wall. There are mixed emotions across the valley on whether President Trump’s executive order action towards immigration is too aggressive.

With all the moves Trump has been making, local activist look to protect the rights of immigrants.

“I think the recommendation to our community is they stay informed, they learn about their legal rights and that they’re ready fro anything that can happen,” said immigration activist Emilio Amaya. “The legal advice that we provide is not to sign any documents that you don’t understand. remain silent, and request to see a judge if you are apprehended, or your case is denied.”

But many say it’s too early to predict any of the local impacts the new rules will bring.

We spoke to Mayor Robert Moon about recent discussions for the Palm Springs to become a Sanctuary City, while Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez says there is a spoken agreement between city staff and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, not to question people about their citizenship status.

As far as federal funding goes, both mayors agree it’s too soon to know whether it will affect their cities.

The Mexican consulate of San Bernardino plans visits to the valley — expediting identification documents.

“In this political context, we are providing them protectional legal assistance. We have a lawyer here if they need to counseling on immigration status, they can come and ask what their solution is,” said Salomon Rosas, representative of the Mexican consulate of San Bernardino.

Many fear deportation, and some are pointing to safety — an issue President Trump has associated immigration with throughout his campaign.

“There is no way that they are going to go deport someome’s grandma, that’s not what Donald Trump is thinking,” said Joy Miedecke, President of the East Valley Republican Women. “He’s thinking we’re going to catch the bad guys. While we do that, we’re going to make sure that people have the opportunity to come into the country the right way.”

KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 spoke to Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff and received the following statement:

We do not enforce federal immigration law in our field operations within Coachella, or anywhere else in the county, so we routinely do not query members of those communities about their immigration status there or elsewhere. But we have never surrendered our option, in exceptional or emergency circumstances, to inquire about any issue required in the course and scope of our criminal investigations pursuant to California law. Our employees apply this equally to members of the Coachella community and across the entire county. Everyone is reminded that we also work side-by-side with federal law enforcement officers in joint teams and taskforces, where those federal officers do have the power and duty to enforce immigration and other federal laws.

Sheriff Stan Sniff, Riverside County Sheriff’s Dept.