Sacramento groups demand accountability from ICE following recent actions by federal agents
By Maricela De La Cruz
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) — Sixteen organizations in Sacramento are demanding accountability from ICE and local law enforcement, following recent actions involving federal agents in the city.
In a letter to the mayor and city council, the groups condemn the actions of ICE agents in Sacramento, particularly the detention of refugees, immigrants, and protesters at the John Moss Federal Building, and allege violent arrests of peaceful demonstrators on Nov. 5.
They also criticize Sacramento police for helping ICE by citing protesters for minor infractions, saying it undercuts First Amendment rights.
“In particular, one resident was cited for jaywalking while he was checking on residents across the street,” said Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang in Tuesday’s council meeting.
The Sacramento Police Department responded to the allegations in the letter regarding citations. In a statement, the department said it “follows an established policy on immigration-related matters,” adding that its officers “do not take part in civil immigration enforcement.”
Vang is pushing to strengthen the city’s sanctuary policy, saying it’s critical for safety and trust between police and vulnerable communities.
“If we want to build genuine trust between community and government and law enforcement – our local law enforcement – it is essential that we have processes and protocols in place to build that trust,” Vang said.
Another priority is updating the city’s immigration platform, which hasn’t been revisited since 2017.
The new components include:
Prohibit Use of City Property for Immigration Enforcement Ban staging areas or operational bases for immigration enforcement on city-owned lots, garages, and properties. Protect Free Speech on City Property Reaffirm residents’ right to peacefully assemble and protest on city-owned spaces, including designating the John Moss Building area as a free speech zone. Limit Access to Immigration-Related Data Commit to restricting access to city data that could reveal citizenship or immigration status. Align with State Policy (SB 627 – No Secret Police Act) Ensure local policy reflects state law by prohibiting masked federal agents and supporting transparency in enforcement activities. But with the federal government’s hard stance on sanctuary cities, it’s unclear how far local policies can go. Still, Vang said the city must prepare.
“The first piece is making sure that’s reflected in our policy, and then, providing direction to the interim city manager and PD to enforce that is really important,” Vang said.
The proposal has yet to be submitted for consideration by the mayor and city council.
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