Palm Springs finalizes non-discrimination ordinance
A roar of applause filled the Palm Springs city council chambers on Wednesday night after council members unanimously solidified a new non-discrimination ordinance. The ordinance prohibits discrimination and profiling by police and prevents anyone from having to provide information based on their religion or immigration status to the city.
Mayor Robert Moon voted against the ordinance during the first reading a few weeks ago, but after some research leading up to Wednesday’s meeting, he decided to back it.
“Since what we are doing is in accordance with federal law, I will support it because that was the only issue I had,” Moon said.
Carmen Ginter is a part of Courageous Resistance, a group with members throughout the state created after the recent presidential election aiming to protect people’s rights. There were several dozen members at the city council meeting.
Ginter was also an undocumented immigrant for 18 years. She came to the US at the age of 12 and after almost two decades became a citizen after she got married to an American.
“To me, it is really important that a child that is an immigrant themselves or has parents that are immigrants, that they don’t have the fear that mom and dad will not come home,” said Ginter.
This ordinance was created after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on immigration reform in January. Many believe these reforms wrongly target undocumented people.
“People spread hatred, fear, and scapegoating of other people. That is what is happening now. It’s the same thing only a different group of people,” said Bill McMillan of Palm Springs.
Palm Springs Police Chief Bryan Reyes has made it clear that he and the department support the ordinance and said it falls in line with policies that the department has had since 1981.
