The national immigration debate became a local issue Monday in El Cajon when about 75 people gathered at the civic center to protest a proposed City Council resolution that would allow local police officers to assist federal agents in deporting undocumented migrants.
At times chanting “MAGA politics out of El Cajon” and holding signs that read “No police in our schools,” “A nation built by immigrants” and other slogans, several people spoke outside City Council chambers and vowed to return the next day when the council takes up the resolution for a second time.
“Imagine if there is an exodus of workers,” said Nicanora Montenegro. “What will happen to America?”
The El Cajon City Council two weeks ago discussed a resolution that stated city police officers would assist Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents in apprehending undocumented migrants.
After several Latino community spoke about fears they had about being detained by officers just because they were suspected of being undocumented, the majority of the council agreed to have the resolution sent back to city staff to clarify that it would focus specifically on violent criminals.
Mayor Bill Wells was the only member to object to any revisions.
On Tuesday, the council is scheduled to hear the reworded resolution, which declares “the City’s intent to ensure the public safety of all residents” and states that its intent is to “remove violent criminals from our community.”
It also states that the city will comply with state Senate Bill 54, in effect since 2018, which limits the use of local police and sheriff’s departments in investigating, detaining or arresting people for civil immigration violations, among other actions.
Wells has said the resolution is an attempt to clarify what he sees as inconsistent laws and policies between the federal and state government.
While the revised policy does say the resolution’s intent is on public safety and is about violent criminals, protesters saw broader implications.
“I don’t believe them,” said Ilka Weston.
Yusef Miller, executive director of Activist San Diego and North County Equity and Justice Coalition, spoke about communities uniting to fight oppression.
“We need to stand together with the targeted communities,” he said. “People who are non-deportable need to stand up as a shield and speak up for our brothers and sisters, because one day they will be next.”
Martin Eder of the socialist activist group Liberation Road praised the four council who did not adopt the resolution as-is two weeks ago because they had listened to concerns from residents.
“It is a rarity that you can kind of move a body and here we have five Republicans and four of them essentially said, ‘Mayor, slow down,’” he said. “This is amazing. And now we’re going to say, ‘Mayor, stop grandstanding. Stop trying to ride to a higher level of office by purporting to stand with Donald Trump and make yourself famous on the backs of others.’”
Eder said he hopes the council majority will continue to oppose the resolution because its language is flawed and vague.
“They say, ‘We want language in there to clarify that we are going after criminals,’” he said. “But who defines who’s a criminal? Are we talking about somebody who’s already served time and already been through the court and paid their dues but now they need to be deported? Or if they’ve been charged with a crime, does that make them a criminal? Or are they criminal because they’re undocumented?”
Ramiro Bautista of Latinos en Acción, the group that organized the protest, also questioned the need for the resolution.
“They say it’s for police to pick up criminals, but that’s what they do now,” he said . “Immigrants are not criminals.”
