East County News Service
January 31, 2025 – Annette Smith, 58, of El Cajon has been arrested on suspicion of mailing a narcotic-laced greeting card into a San Diego County Jail.
In December 2024, deputies assigned to the Sheriff's Mail Processing Center intercepted a greeting card intended for Alicia Abungan, 52, who is in custody at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee. While inspecting the card, deputies noticed it had the appearance of being soaked in narcotics.
The Sheriff's Detention Investigations Unit began a criminal investigation, which identified Smith as responsible for mailing the greeting card containing narcotics.
On January 29, Sheriff's DIU Detectives along with deputies from the Lakeside Sheriff's Substation's Crime Suppression Team and Santee Sheriff's Station's Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving Team served a search warrant at Smith's home in El Cajon.
“During the search, detectives found evidence related to the mail case and 35.67 grams of methamphetamine,”says Sergeant Aaron Brown.
Smith was arrested on numerous charges, including sending a controlled substance into jail. This is a felony charge with a penalty of up to six years in custody.
By Miriam Raftery
January 31, 2025 (San Diego) -- A two-count indictment was unsealed in federal court today charging San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremiah Manuyag Flores with violating the civil rights of a man in pretrial custody at the San Diego Central Courthouse. Flores is accused of using excessive force that caused a spinal cord injury, then writing a false report to cover up his illegal actions.
He is charged with depriving the individual – identified in the indictment as 57-year-old J.P. – of his right to due process of law under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and of falsifying a record in a federal investigation. If convicted on both counts, he could face up to 30 years in prison and be fined up to $500,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Flores was assigned to the San Diego Central Courthouse on August 29, 2024, and was escorting J.P. to a holding cell after a court hearing. J.P.’s legs were chained and his hands were cross-chained to his waist.
The indictment alleges that Flores Flores forcefully shoved J.P. into the cell from behind with both hands, causing J.P. to smash into the bench and walls and collapse to the ground. Flores failed to immediately report the incident to his supervisor or prepare an official report, both of which are violations of the San Diego Sheriff’s Office’s Use of Force Policy.
According to the indictment, another deputy found J.P. over two hours later lying in the same position in his holding cell with a head wound and a pool of blood on the floor. As a result of Flores’ actions,
J.P. suffered a spinal injury for which he underwent surgery and remained hospitalized for months.
The indictment said that more than an hour after J.P. was discovered in his holding cell, Flores falsely claimed in an incident report that “no force was used” in placing J.P. into the cell.
“The vast majority of law enforcement personnel are dedicated public servants committed to following the rule of law and protecting our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “But when a choice is made to cross the line and violate someone’s civil rights, this office will stand on behalf of the victim, and all those who wear the badge with honor, to uphold the public’s trust.”
Sheriff Kelly Martinez issued this statement: "The actions described in this case are unacceptable. Immediately upon hearing of the incident, an investigation was initiated, and Deputy Flores was placed on administrative assignment. The investigation led us to believe criminal actions occurred, and we presented the case to state and federal authorities. Deputy Flores has been with the Sheriff's Office since November of 2021 and has been a Deputy Sheriff since February of 2023.”
She adds, ”As the Sheriff, I will continue working to ensure a culture does not exist where deputies believe this behavior is tolerated. I hold our value of compassion as core to who we are, and there is no excuse for any deputy to use excessive force. Particularly in the case of someone who is vulnerable due to the circumstances of being in custody. Any Sheriff's employee who violates the law or policy will be held accountable."
“Law enforcement officers work tirelessly every day to protect the public, always striving to be professional, honest, and ethical,” said San Diego FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The alleged action of the defendant not only violates the oath he swore as a law enforcement officer to protect and serve, but also erodes citizen confidence and trust in our profession.”
Flores made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David D. Leshner. He entered pleas of not guilty to both charges and was released on a $25,000 personal appearance bond with special conditions that he surrender his passport and his personally owned firearms. The next scheduled court appearance is a motion hearing and trial setting before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez on March 10, 2025, at 2 p.m.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Askins.
To read the news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, click here.
East County News Service
January 31, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – A Black History Empowerment Celebration will be held on February 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lemon Grove Academy Middle School, 7866 Lincoln St. in Lemon Grove. Festivities will include spoken word, drumming African dancers, music artists, soul food vendors, food trucks and more.
The event is sponsored by Thrive Lemon Grove, F.A.C.E. Lemon Grove School District, and House Gone Wild International.
By Miriam Raftery
Photos by Robert Gehr
January 31, 2025 (El Cajon) – After voting to repeal a long-unenforced ban on dog walking downtown, the city of El Cajon has installed “doggie pots” and poop disposal bags to help dog owners cleanup after their pets.
Photos show receptacle near the waterscape outside the Magnolia performing arts center; another is located at the northeast side of Prescott Park.
Program assists local businesses with grants for property improvements
Source: City of La Mesa
January 31, 2025 (La Mesa) - The City of La Mesa is launching the La Mesa Façade and Property Improvement Grant program for a fourth consecutive year. This program aims to bolster local businesses by providing grant funds for up to $25,000 for exterior façade improvements such as new awnings, signage, painting, lighting, and landscaping.
The online application will open at 8 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. Interested business and property owners are encouraged to thoroughly review the Program Guidelines before applying. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to grant fund availability.
The grant program has been successful to date with 18 businesses completing projects and receiving grant funding. For more information, contact Lyn Dedmon, Assistant to the City Manager, at 619-667-1339 or via email at ldedmon@cityoflamesa.us.
By Miriam Raftery
January 30, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – Eleven people have applied to fill a vacancy on the Lemon Grove City Council created when former Councilmember Alysson Snow won the mayoral election. The City Council will interview the applicants during the Feb.4 Council meeting at 6 p.m. at the Lemon Grove Community Center. View the full agenda including candidate applications: https://events.lemongrove.ca.gov/council.
The Council previously approved filling the vacancy via appointment, to avoid a costly election. The appointee chosen will serve the remainder of the term, which expires in December 2026.
Applications included detailed questions about candidates’ backgrounds and goals, though some did not identify policy objectives.
The applicants, in order of their interview times, are as follows, along with highlights from their applications:
Cody Littleton: Ani internet recruiter, he has served as Vice President of Urban League Young Professionals, as a corporate liaison, and volunteered with GEICO Cares/United Way. He says his goal if appointed would be first to learn about key issues, foster meaningful community engagement, and work to strengthen relationships with external organizations and boards. He has training as a facilitator, including conflict resolution skills.
James G. Stout: His community involvement has been serving on the board of directors at Faith Chapel and Lifepoint Church, teaching Bible study, and serving as treasurer at Lifepoint Church. He has worked as a machinist and inspector. He cites endorsements from other pastor. His goals include being an “advocate for the people” and to help the city become “healthy and strong.”
Jay Bass: His community and governmental experience include serving as a trustee of the Lemon Grove School District, commissioner on the city’s planning commission, member of the Lemon Grove Community Advisory Committee and Revitalize Broadway Lemon Grove, as well as the Lemon Grove Historical Society, Lions Club, Latino Diversified Lions Club, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and soccer coach. A Navy veteran who is now retired, he has worked for the Port of San Diego and the San Diego International Airport. His goals include assuring funds are spent responsibly, supporting local businesses, creating a business-friendly environment to foster growth, assure worker retention and instill community pride.
Kenneth J. Davies: He did not provide a resume or list any community involvement. A 25-year resident, he is concerned that streets need repair and about trash along roadsides. He has a master’s degree in computer programming, and says, “I care about Lemon Grove and want to see it preserved.”
Meredith Rae Levin: A law professor, licensed attorney with USD legal clinics, she works to assist domestic violence victims. She has served as president of the Crime Victims Fund and cochair of the SDCBA family law section. She was a founder of the San Diego family Law Bar. She wants to fix roads, bring in new business, learn from diverse views, and come up with “sensible, compassionate ways to address home businesses.:
Minola Clark Manson: Director of workforce development healthcare for the San Diego Workforce Partnership, she has a master’s in psychology and extensive experience including managinga$15 million budget, serving as training and development director for the County’s Health and Human Services agency, and other professional positions. She’s a Lemon Grove Planning Commissioner and involved in numerous local service organizations, including as President of Soroptomists, helping with Lemon Grove cleanup, food distribution and more. She wants to increase the city’s resource development through grants and new businesses, improve transparency and community involvement at Council meetings.
Oyuki Littleton: An office administrator, customer relations specialist and 7-year resident of Lemon Grove, she wants clarification on the county’s tiny homes project for the homeless on Troy Street and to find measures that can be taken to assure children and residents are safe. She also wants to repair and strengthen communication between residents and councilmembers to restore unity.
Robert Holaday: A Lemon Grove native and licensed realtor, he has served as Chairman of the Lemon Grove Planning Commission when the city was incorporated, as president of the Lemon Grove Chamber of Commerce, and on the citizens advisory committee for the 1980 Community Plan. He has been active in College Avenue Baptist Church, and helped form the Lemon Grove Little League. His goals include improving Lemon Grove’s image, being frugal with money, and seeking out new revenue sources.
Robert M. Rael: A systems engineer and webmaster with a degree in film and media, Rael has lived in Lemon Grove for 15 years and plans to start a business here. He was previously in Normal Heights, where he was involved in a a business association, newspaper, and cultural council. He lists one goal, “to represent my peers, as well as pass information along to my peers.”
Seth Smith: An architect and Chair of the Lemon Grove Planning Commission, he is also involved in the Busy Bees Garden Co-op, farmer’s market, Latino Diversifed Lions Club, and Revitalize Broadway efforts in Lemon Grove as well as youth sports, food distributions, and as youth leader at Grace Communion. He also donates his architectural services for Thrive Lemon Grove. He wants to set up efficient systems for the city to use revenue from the newly passed ballot measure to repair/improve city infrastructure such as streets, sidewalks and storm drains, implement policies to remove blight and diversity the types of businesses downtown, and promote policies to encourage access to housing through General Plan updates. He lists numerous endorsements, including the city’s firefighters.
Yadira Altamirano: A former Lemon Grove City Councilmember and small business owner, she has been on the board of softball and girls fast pitch organizations, as well as the Mt.. Vernon Educational Foundation and Lemon Grove toy drive. Her volunteer efforts have included youth mentorship, homeless ministry and food drives through Rock Church Homeless Ministry. She wants to reopen the rec center 5-7 days a week, encourage commercial landlords to rent vacant properties, get more businesses to invest in Lemon Grove, assure that new sales tax revenue is used for infrastructure and road repairs, have bathroom access on weekends, a pedestrian-friendly downtown that is aesthetically improved, and bring back the Old Times Parade.
By Miriam Raftery
View video of full Council hearing (Immigration agenda item begins at 37 minutes.)
January 29, 2025 – Emotions ran high during yesterday’s El Cajon City Council meeting, where a packed chamber heard testimony from 88 members of the public over a proposed over immigration enforcement resolution, followed by a heated Council debate that divided the all-Republican members during a hearing that ran over five hours.
The measure introduced by Mayor Wells, a revision from a version heard two weeks ago, aims to authorize El Cajon police to comply with federal immigration enforcement officials within the limits of state law and the Constitution for the purpose of removing violent criminals.
But the action comes on the same day that the White House Press Secretary indicated that the Trump administration views all undocumented immigrants as “criminals” even though crossing the border itself is a misdemeanor on the first offense, not a felony or violent crime.
Sweeps by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have begun nationwide, picking up many immigrants with no criminal record—including an El Cajon man with no criminal record who was awaiting his asylum hearing when arrested this week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at his home in front of his five-year-old daughter, Councilman Michelle Metschel revealed in an impassioned speech.
“If this was just about violent criminals, I would be all for it,” Metschel (photo, right) said. “But today is a pivotal moment,” she added, noting that the Council’s decision would “change the course of history” for the city and many of its residents. She said El Cajon’s biggest crime problem was drug criminals comprising a portion of the homeless population, “not a single father raising his young girl, who was arrested down the street from me...He worked a full-time job and had a court date to become legal...His only crime was to come across the border.”
(Editor's note: the name of the arrested immigrant is Ulysses Gomez, according to Councilmember Metschel. ECM has learned that a man by this name had two prior arrests locally, according to the city manager, but that individual was never charged with or convicted of any crime, according to Court records. See full details in an update at the bottom of this story.)
Metschel made clear that she does not support El Cajon become a sanctuary city and wants to see violent criminals removed, but could not support the resolution after several dozen speakers voiced fears of authorities targeting people with brown skin and having to carry citizenship papers to avoid being sent to detention, and that many parents are now afraid to send their children to school, or report crimes to police. “This makes us look like racists. I want no part of it,.” Metschel affirmed, voicing dismay at "hateful rhetoric" by some speakers.
While some speakers voiced fear over authorizing police to cooperate with federal immigration authorities could lead to police providing information that could lead to arrests of people with no criminal record or even detention of citizens without papers, others urged the Council to support the measure, voicing concern for public safety. Though opponents outnumber supporters, both sides drew large turnouts. The hearing was boisterous, with the audience frequently interjecting applause or jeers and the mayor threatening several times to clear the room if the audience wouldn'td quiet down.
Glenn Bagge, an El Cajon business owner, stated that ICE claims that are “650,000 criminals running loose in the U.S.” who are undocumented. “To not allow our police officers to deal with these criminals in the proper fashion, to deal with federal agents, would be criminal,” he said.
Cory Gautereaux, a veteran, said that an immigrant who assaulted the young daughter of a Navy Seal was initially shielded from ICE due to state laws, which prohibit law enforcement from handing over undocumented immigrants unless they have been convicted of a violent crime. ICE did eventually gain access and found child pornography on the suspect’s phone, Gautereaux said.
Of note, immigrants commit crimes at far lower rates than citizens; if an undocumented immigrant is charged with a serious felony, under California’s SB 54 law, they would still be held accountable through the criminal justice system and if found guilty, could then be eligible for deportation.
Speakers against the resolution included representatives of immigrants’ rights and nonprofit groups.
Mejgan Afshan, executive director of Borderlands for Equity, serves many immigrants and refugees in East County including Mexicans, Afghans, Somalis, Chaldeans and more. “There are children scared of going to school for fear of losing their parents,” she said, referencing the Trump administration’s policy change this week allowing ICE to enter schools, churches and hospitals. “Councilmembers must avoid fearmongering and uplift the dignity of all residents,” she urged.
Yusef Miller, a cofounder of the North County Equity and Justice Coalition and Activist San Diego board member, stated, ”This is not about law and order. If it was, we would not be releasing all those people who stormed our capitol,” referencing Trump’s sweeping pardons and sentence commutations for all 1,500+ insurrectionists including those convicted of assaulting police officers. “What we see here is an attack on our brown community.” He likened the situation to the Fugitive Slave Act, which resulted in many blacks in free states being sent back to slavery. “Do you support families, or do you support those who will bring fear...into our communities?” he asked the Council.
Brian Kougl (photo, left) with the San Diego organizing project, wearing a T-shirt with the statue of liberty proclaiming ‘I’m with her,’ said mass deportations are unpatriotic, immoral and wrong. “You should not support the hate-filled agenda of a delusional convicted felon,” he said of President Donald Trump, who has 36 felony convictions.
Immigration lawyer Maria Chavez with Partner for Advancement of New Americans said she represents immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers in El Cajon. “I fight for them every single day, and you need to, too,” she stated.
Dilkhwaz Ahmed with License to Freedom, an El Cajon nonprofit helping immigrants and refugees who are victims of violence, implored the Council to vote down the resolution. She noted that many immigrants have endured horrible conditions, such as an Afghan woman who was “raped over and over again” on her journey here; such individuals could face physical harm or death if deported. Though refugees are here legally, Trump has blocked new refugees from entering and has threatened to remove protected status from some refugees in the U.S., which could include Afghans.
Some likened the national immigration crackdown to fascism and Nazism. Nicole Bacca, a nurse, observed, ”Two weeks ago we saw Elon Musk onstage give Nazi salutes.” Trump has named Musk to head up a committee charged with improving government efficiency. She noted that earlier campaign promises to deport only violent criminals have proven false, with long-term residents with no criminal records now being taken into detention camps or deported and even churches and schools subject to seizure of immigrant children and parents. “Call it what it is—fascism, while people like Bill Wells seek power,” she said. “No surrounding cities are doing this...Choose compassion over fear and division,” she concluded.
An immigrant woman said she feared being stopped for papers, likening the situation to Jews forced to wear yellow stars before they were mass deported and millions killed in Hitler’s concentration camps during World War II. A Native American woman voiced concerns over Native Americans being stopped and said her grandmother, a Native-born American, was once deported because she couldn't speak English.
Sam Halpern said his family arrived in the 1800s to escape persecution. “Our nation was built by immigrants,” he said, noting that our nation has historically welcomed immigrants seeking freedom. He said this should include “freedom from jackboots at the door. Why do we rush to intimidate people seeking the American dream?”
But Republican Amy Reichert (photo, right) with Reform San Diego denounced as “offensive” speakers who invoked Nazism and the Holocaust. She said she was raised Jewish, then added, “I gave my heart to Jesus in my 30s. Jesus did seek asylum—legal asylum,” she added, drawing laughter from the crowd. She voiced anger at nonprofit leaders who help migrants as “profiting off illegal immigration” and dismissed fears voiced by many speakers, then threatened, “The only people who should be afraid are the people who vote against this. There will be ramifications.”
After the hearing, Reichert sent out an e-mail blast to conservative followers, with a headline claiming that the Council majority had voted to “keep sanctuary city status.” That is false, since El Cajon has never been a sanctuary city and every council member has voiced opposition to sanctuary city policies. No new protections for immigrants were adopted, nor were any existing ones removed by Councilmembers.
Update: After thi
s article ran, Reichert emailed ECM stating, "I never called El Cajon a Sanctuary city in my email."
This is also untrue. See screenshot, left, with headline in her original email.
One of the final speakers was Bud Collins, who has worked with councilmembers on homeless outreach and said he believes that all love El Cajon. He urged Council to pray and ask, “What would the Lord have you do?” He then cited a Bible verse: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
A vigorous council debate followed public testimony in what the Mayor acknowledged was “the most contentious Council meeting ever.”
Councilmember Metschel led off by denouncing hate and making clear that she supported a middle ground—not becoming a sanctuary city, but neither committing to a path to support federal actions that instill fear across many community members and could result in deportations of people with no criminal record, like her neighbor, ripped apart from his 5-year-old daughter.
Later she revealed, “Nobody knows where the little girl is. It’s crucial that our police officers have trust in the entire community, no matter what color, what religion they are.” If we lose that, we are less safe as a community,” she said, noting that some would be afraid to report crimes as witnesses or victims.
She acknowledged, “This could be the end of my political career. I don’t care, because I stand up for the people here.”
Councilman Gary Kendrick talked about his mother, who was born in Czechoslovakia. In 1939, with Hitler in power, her best friend and her friend’s family disappeared, as well as her boss, who was Jewish and never heard from again. Kendrick’s mother married a U.S. soldier and the family often vacationed in Mexico. But when Kendrick was 12, he recalled a checkpoint officer saw her European-style smallpox vaccination on her arm and asked for her passport, which she didn’t have with her. “I was scared out of my mind...That was 50 years ago and I’m still traumatized,” Kendrick said, adding that the experience resonates today with what many immigrants now fear could happen here.
“If we comply with the feds, it’s like a blank check,” he pointed out, adding that the city doesn’t know all that the feds may ask of local authorities. “It keeps changing,” he said. “We have 70 ethnic groups in El Cajon and we get along remarkable well. We don’t have gang wars. I did my research and found out that immigrants commit half (the rate) of crimes that citizens do...They pay landlords and do jobs others won’t,” noting that most agricultural workers are immigrants, including many who are not documented. “I’ve listened to both sides....I am concerned about the criminal element,” he acknowledged.
Kendrick and Metschel then introduced an alternative resolution that they drafted before the meeting. It praised the contributions of immigrants and declared intent for the city to follow state law, which already allows police to cooperate with federal immigration authorities for violent criminal undocumented immigrants.
But Councilman Phil Ortiz, whose district is predominantly Latino and Middle Eastern immigrants and whose grandmother came here as a pregnant immigrant, objected. Ortiz stated that “our rules and laws” are what makes America different from other nations. He cited a World Health Organization estimate that there are 2.5 million people worldwide living in poverty, and that we can’t let everyone into the U.S. He praised the presidents of El Salvador and Argentina for reforms that he said reduced crime and poverty.
“I don’t see any issue with our police, if the come across these people, to call ICE,” he said. While acknowledging immigrants’ contributions to our economy, insisted Ortiz, who coauthored the Mayor’s resolution. “The rule of law has to apply.”
Councilman Steve Goble sought to find a middle ground, asking numerous questions and introducing several alternative proposals that failed to win adequate support for adoption. While he made clear that he wants violent criminals removed, he observed, “The question is how to get them out of our city...who’s going to do it?” He later noted, “We have so much to do with homelessness, we can’t take on immigration...I don’t think we can assist with federal enforcement action,” he added, noting state laws prohibiting most cooperation. “Let the state and the feds fight it out,” he said of conflicting laws, “and let me concentrate on serve and protect.”
Mayor Bill Wells (photo, right) spoke last, insisting that the resolution isn’t about racism or Nazism. “I think this is about a war that ended on November 5th. It’s about Trump and non-Trump, progressivism versus conservatism.” He added that 57% of the people in El Cajon voted for Trump “and knew where he stood on immigration.” He reiterated his view that if local police come into contact with an immigrant who is a gang member, for example, if police could cooperate with immigration officers, “We should.”
In the end, the Mayor’s resolution failed on a 3-2 vote with Councilmembers Kendrick, Metschel and Goble opposed, while Mayor Wells and Councilmember Ortiz voted in support.
Read the Mayor’s revised resolution that failed passage on pages 57-59 from City Council agenda attachments.
View ECM’s prior coverage on this resolution:
Update Feb. 5, 2025: A man named Ulysses Gomez, the same name as the immigrant arrested by ICE whom Councilwoman Metschel said was separated from his daughter,, did have a prior arrest in 2017 for driving under the influence and was ordered deported during Trump’s first presidency, then was arrested again in 2020 on a domestic violence accusation, according to El Cajon City Manager Graham Mitchell. Mitchell suggests that ICE may have been following up on the 2017 deportation warrant.
However, A check of San Diego Superior Court records by ECM found no listing for Ulysses Gomez, indicating that no trial occurred. Mitchell told ECM that it appears " the DA decided not to pursue either of the cases, so he was arrested for, but not charged or convicted.”
The arrest by ICE last week suggests that the Trump administration may be including individuals who were accused but not convicted of crimes, raising the possibility that innocent individuals could wind up deported to their home countries or potentially locked up in Guantanamo, where the Trump administration says it wants to send 30,000 deportees. Metschel has advised ECM that since this article ran, Gomez's daughter has been sent to stay with family members. Gomez was sent to the Otay Mesa detention facility pending deportation.
Correction: Councilmember Metschel voted no on both the Mayor's resolution and Coucilman Goble's compromise measure. Councilman Ortiz voted in favor.
By Miriam Raftery
View video of full Council hearing (Immigration agenda item begins at 37 minutes.)
January 29, 2025 – Emotions ran high during yesterday’s El Cajon City Council meeting, where a packed chamber heard testimony from 88 members of the public over a proposed over immigration enforcement resolution, followed by a heated Council debate that divided the all-Republican members during a hearing that ran over five hours.
The measure introduced by Mayor Wells, a revision from a version heard two weeks ago, aims to authorize El Cajon police to comply with federal immigration enforcement officials within the limits of state law and the Constitution for the purpose of removing violent criminals.
But the action comes on the same day that the White House Press Secretary indicated that the Trump administration views all undocumented immigrants as “criminals” even though crossing the border itself is a misdemeanor on the first offense, not a felony or violent crime.
Sweeps by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have begun nationwide, picking up many immigrants with no criminal record—including an El Cajon man with no criminal record who was awaiting his asylum hearing when arrested this week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at his home in front of his five-year-old daughter, Councilman Michelle Metschel revealed in an impassioned speech.
“If this was just about violent criminals, I would be all for it,” Metschel (photo, right) said. “But today is a pivotal moment,” she added, noting that the Council’s decision would “change the course of history” for the city and many of its residents. She said El Cajon’s biggest crime problem was drug criminals comprising a portion of the homeless population, “not a single father raising his young girl, who was arrested down the street from me...He worked a full-time job and had a court date to become legal...His only crime was to come across the border.”
(Editor's note: the name of the arrested immigrant is Ulysses Gomez, according to Councilmember Metschel. ECM has learned that a man by this name had two prior arrests locally, according to the city manager, but that individual was never charged with or convicted of any crime, according to Court records. See full details in an update at the bottom of this story.)
Metschel made clear that she does not support El Cajon become a sanctuary city and wants to see violent criminals removed, but could not support the resolution after several dozen speakers voiced fears of authorities targeting people with brown skin and having to carry citizenship papers to avoid being sent to detention, and that many parents are now afraid to send their children to school, or report crimes to police. “This makes us look like racists. I want no part of it,.” Metschel affirmed, voicing dismay at "hateful rhetoric" by some speakers.
While some speakers voiced fear over authorizing police to cooperate with federal immigration authorities could lead to police providing information that could lead to arrests of people with no criminal record or even detention of citizens without papers, others urged the Council to support the measure, voicing concern for public safety. Though opponents outnumber supporters, both sides drew large turnouts. The hearing was boisterous, with the audience frequently interjecting applause or jeers and the mayor threatening several times to clear the room if the audience wouldn'td quiet down.
Glenn Bagge, an El Cajon business owner, stated that ICE claims that are “650,000 criminals running loose in the U.S.” who are undocumented. “To not allow our police officers to deal with these criminals in the proper fashion, to deal with federal agents, would be criminal,” he said.
Cory Gautereaux, a veteran, said that an immigrant who assaulted the young daughter of a Navy Seal was initially shielded from ICE due to state laws, which prohibit law enforcement from handing over undocumented immigrants unless they have been convicted of a violent crime. ICE did eventually gain access and found child pornography on the suspect’s phone, Gautereaux said.
Of note, immigrants commit crimes at far lower rates than citizens; if an undocumented immigrant is charged with a serious felony, under California’s SB 54 law, they would still be held accountable through the criminal justice system and if found guilty, could then be eligible for deportation.
Speakers against the resolution included representatives of immigrants’ rights and nonprofit groups.
Mejgan Afshan, executive director of Borderlands for Equity, serves many immigrants and refugees in East County including Mexicans, Afghans, Somalis, Chaldeans and more. “There are children scared of going to school for fear of losing their parents,” she said, referencing the Trump administration’s policy change this week allowing ICE to enter schools, churches and hospitals. “Councilmembers must avoid fearmongering and uplift the dignity of all residents,” she urged.
Yusef Miller, a cofounder of the North County Equity and Justice Coalition and Activist San Diego board member, stated, ”This is not about law and order. If it was, we would not be releasing all those people who stormed our capitol,” referencing Trump’s sweeping pardons and sentence commutations for all 1,500+ insurrectionists including those convicted of assaulting police officers. “What we see here is an attack on our brown community.” He likened the situation to the Fugitive Slave Act, which resulted in many blacks in free states being sent back to slavery. “Do you support families, or do you support those who will bring fear...into our communities?” he asked the Council.
Brian Kougl (photo, left) with the San Diego organizing project, wearing a T-shirt with the statue of liberty proclaiming ‘I’m with her,’ said mass deportations are unpatriotic, immoral and wrong. “You should not support the hate-filled agenda of a delusional convicted felon,” he said of President Donald Trump, who has 36 felony convictions.
Immigration lawyer Maria Chavez with Partner for Advancement of New Americans said she represents immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers in El Cajon. “I fight for them every single day, and you need to, too,” she stated.
Dilkhwaz Ahmed with License to Freedom, an El Cajon nonprofit helping immigrants and refugees who are victims of violence, implored the Council to vote down the resolution. She noted that many immigrants have endured horrible conditions, such as an Afghan woman who was “raped over and over again” on her journey here; such individuals could face physical harm or death if deported. Though refugees are here legally, Trump has blocked new refugees from entering and has threatened to remove protected status from some refugees in the U.S., which could include Afghans.
Some likened the national immigration crackdown to fascism and Nazism. Nicole Bacca, a nurse, observed, ”Two weeks ago we saw Elon Musk onstage give Nazi salutes.” Trump has named Musk to head up a committee charged with improving government efficiency. She noted that earlier campaign promises to deport only violent criminals have proven false, with long-term residents with no criminal records now being taken into detention camps or deported and even churches and schools subject to seizure of immigrant children and parents. “Call it what it is—fascism, while people like Bill Wells seek power,” she said. “No surrounding cities are doing this...Choose compassion over fear and division,” she concluded.
An immigrant woman said she feared being stopped for papers, likening the situation to Jews forced to wear yellow stars before they were mass deported and millions killed in Hitler’s concentration camps during World War II. A Native American woman voiced concerns over Native Americans being stopped and said her grandmother, a Native-born American, was once deported because she couldn't speak English.
Sam Halpern said his family arrived in the 1800s to escape persecution. “Our nation was built by immigrants,” he said, noting that our nation has historically welcomed immigrants seeking freedom. He said this should include “freedom from jackboots at the door. Why do we rush to intimidate people seeking the American dream?”
But Republican Amy Reichert (photo, right) with Reform San Diego denounced as “offensive” speakers who invoked Nazism and the Holocaust. She said she was raised Jewish, then added, “I gave my heart to Jesus in my 30s. Jesus did seek asylum—legal asylum,” she added, drawing laughter from the crowd. She voiced anger at nonprofit leaders who help migrants as “profiting off illegal immigration” and dismissed fears voiced by many speakers, then threatened, “The only people who should be afraid are the people who vote against this. There will be ramifications.”
After the hearing, Reichert sent out an e-mail blast to conservative followers, with a headline claiming that the Council majority had voted to “keep sanctuary city status.” That is false, since El Cajon has never been a sanctuary city and every council member has voiced opposition to sanctuary city policies. No new protections for immigrants were adopted, nor were any existing ones removed by Councilmembers.
Update: After thi
s article ran, Reichert emailed ECM stating, "I never called El Cajon a Sanctuary city in my email."
This is also untrue. See screenshot, left, with headline in her original email.
One of the final speakers was Bud Collins, who has worked with councilmembers on homeless outreach and said he believes that all love El Cajon. He urged Council to pray and ask, “What would the Lord have you do?” He then cited a Bible verse: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
A vigorous council debate followed public testimony in what the Mayor acknowledged was “the most contentious Council meeting ever.”
Councilmember Metschel led off by denouncing hate and making clear that she supported a middle ground—not becoming a sanctuary city, but neither committing to a path to support federal actions that instill fear across many community members and could result in deportations of people with no criminal record, like her neighbor, ripped apart from his 5-year-old daughter.
Later she revealed, “Nobody knows where the little girl is. It’s crucial that our police officers have trust in the entire community, no matter what color, what religion they are.” If we lose that, we are less safe as a community,” she said, noting that some would be afraid to report crimes as witnesses or victims.
She acknowledged, “This could be the end of my political career. I don’t care, because I stand up for the people here.”
Councilman Gary Kendrick talked about his mother, who was born in Czechoslovakia. In 1939, with Hitler in power, her best friend and her friend’s family disappeared, as well as her boss, who was Jewish and never heard from again. Kendrick’s mother married a U.S. soldier and the family often vacationed in Mexico. But when Kendrick was 12, he recalled a checkpoint officer saw her European-style smallpox vaccination on her arm and asked for her passport, which she didn’t have with her. “I was scared out of my mind...That was 50 years ago and I’m still traumatized,” Kendrick said, adding that the experience resonates today with what many immigrants now fear could happen here.
“If we comply with the feds, it’s like a blank check,” he pointed out, adding that the city doesn’t know all that the feds may ask of local authorities. “It keeps changing,” he said. “We have 70 ethnic groups in El Cajon and we get along remarkable well. We don’t have gang wars. I did my research and found out that immigrants commit half (the rate) of crimes that citizens do...They pay landlords and do jobs others won’t,” noting that most agricultural workers are immigrants, including many who are not documented. “I’ve listened to both sides....I am concerned about the criminal element,” he acknowledged.
Kendrick and Metschel then introduced an alternative resolution that they drafted before the meeting. It praised the contributions of immigrants and declared intent for the city to follow state law, which already allows police to cooperate with federal immigration authorities for violent criminal undocumented immigrants.
But Councilman Phil Ortiz, whose district is predominantly Latino and Middle Eastern immigrants and whose grandmother came here as a pregnant immigrant, objected. Ortiz stated that “our rules and laws” are what makes America different from other nations. He cited a World Health Organization estimate that there are 2.5 million people worldwide living in poverty, and that we can’t let everyone into the U.S. He praised the presidents of El Salvador and Argentina for reforms that he said reduced crime and poverty.
“I don’t see any issue with our police, if the come across these people, to call ICE,” he said. While acknowledging immigrants’ contributions to our economy, insisted Ortiz, who coauthored the Mayor’s resolution. “The rule of law has to apply.”
Councilman Steve Goble sought to find a middle ground, asking numerous questions and introducing several alternative proposals that failed to win adequate support for adoption. While he made clear that he wants violent criminals removed, he observed, “The question is how to get them out of our city...who’s going to do it?” He later noted, “We have so much to do with homelessness, we can’t take on immigration...I don’t think we can assist with federal enforcement action,” he added, noting state laws prohibiting most cooperation. “Let the state and the feds fight it out,” he said of conflicting laws, “and let me concentrate on serve and protect.”
Mayor Bill Wells (photo, right) spoke last, insisting that the resolution isn’t about racism or Nazism. “I think this is about a war that ended on November 5th. It’s about Trump and non-Trump, progressivism versus conservatism.” He added that 57% of the people in El Cajon voted for Trump “and knew where he stood on immigration.” He reiterated his view that if local police come into contact with an immigrant who is a gang member, for example, if police could cooperate with immigration officers, “We should.”
In the end, the Mayor’s resolution failed on a 3-2 vote with Councilmembers Kendrick, Metschel and Goble opposed, while Mayor Wells and Councilmember Ortiz voted in support.
Read the Mayor’s revised resolution that failed passage on pages 57-59 from City Council agenda attachments.
View ECM’s prior coverage on this resolution:
Update Feb. 5, 2025: A man named Ulysses Gomez, the same name as the immigrant arrested by ICE whom Councilwoman Metschel said was separated from his daughter,, did have a prior arrest in 2017 for driving under the influence and was ordered deported during Trump’s first presidency, then was arrested again in 2020 on a domestic violence accusation, according to El Cajon City Manager Graham Mitchell. Mitchell suggests that ICE may have been following up on the 2017 deportation warrant.
However, A check of San Diego Superior Court records by ECM found no listing for Ulysses Gomez, indicating that no trial occurred. Mitchell told ECM that it appears " the DA decided not to pursue either of the cases, so he was arrested for, but not charged or convicted.”
The arrest by ICE last week suggests that the Trump administration may be including individuals who were accused but not convicted of crimes, raising the possibility that innocent individuals could wind up deported to their home countries or potentially locked up in Guantanamo, where the Trump administration says it wants to send 30,000 deportees. Metschel has advised ECM that since this article ran, Gomez's daughter has been sent to stay with family members. Gomez was sent to the Otay Mesa detention facility pending deportation.
Correction: Councilmember Metschel voted no on both the Mayor's resolution and Coucilman Goble's compromise measure. Councilman Ortiz voted in favor.
Source: America’s Voice
January 29, 2025 (Washington, DC) — Yesterday delivered several reminders that the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda is sweeping in its scope, harm and indiscriminate nature, viewing all immigrants here without legal status as “criminal” and comfortable in the reality that U.S. citizens and tribal members are among those being targeted and detained in their early enforcement efforts. These fresh reminders, detailed below, follow our assessment yesterday that highlighted the indiscriminate nature of the early Trump administration’s deportation agenda.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt [Inaccurately] Calls All Immigrants Here without Status Criminals: As Axios recapped, “In her first White House briefing, Leavitt falsely labeled all 3,500 immigrants arrested for suspicion of being in the country illegally ‘criminals.’ Being in the country illegally is a civil violation, not a criminal one, and the individuals who were arrested have not been convicted of a crime … Asked by a reporter how many of the 3,500 immigrants arrested since Trump took office have criminal records, Leavitt said, ‘all of them because they illegally broke our nation’s laws.’” Keep in mind that this characterization would apply to Dreamers, TPS holders, those who arrived legally, heads of mixed immigration status households, and long-settled and deeply rooted undocumented immigrants who currently have no path to become legal residents of the nation they’ve long called home.
- U.S. Citizen Family in Milwaukee Detained by ICE After Speaking Spanish: In Milwaukee, the local Telemundo affiliate details the story of a Puerto Rican family – inherently U.S. citizens – detained by ICE after being heard speaking Spanish. As Adrian Carrasquillo of The Bulwark recapped, “Another PUERTO RICAN family detained, a man tells Telemundo his sister, her mother in law, & a child were taken by ICE in Milwaukee & driven to facility where his sister explained they’re US CITIZENS. ICE response to this flagrant violation? ‘Sorry’.”
- More Than a Dozen Indigenous Peoples Racially Profiled and Asked to Produce Proof of Citizenship: At least 15 Diné/Navajo and other Indigenous tribal citizens in the Southwest have been questioned, detained, or asked to provide proof of citizenship, forcing panicked tribal leaders to reach out to DHS and the governors of Arizona and New Mexico, CNN reports. “My office has received multiple reports from Navajo citizens that they have had negative, and sometimes traumatizing, experiences with federal agents targeting undocumented immigrants in the Southwest,” the Office of Navajo President Buu Nygren said in a statement, and urged members to carry documentation including Certificates of Indian blood.
According to Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice:
“Tom Homan has promised ‘no one is off the table,’ which apparently means U.S. citizens, those who arrived legally, parents of U.S. citizen kids, and anyone speaking Spanish, judging by the terrifying story out of Milwaukee. Now, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is confirming Homan’s promises and falsely alleging that civil immigration violators are ‘criminal’ actions. The cruelty, chaos, and costs of this indiscriminate enforcement agenda – for the nation, not just immigrants – is a feature and not a bug of the Trump team’s approach and will wreak havoc on families, communities, industries, and core American values if unchecked.”
As AV noted yesterday, already on display is fear in schools and churches and among K-12 educators and religious leaders. Employers, including those in restaurants, food services, and other sectors of our economy that rely on immigrant labor, are worried about their workforce. And those already targeted for enforcement include families who arrived here legally, as well as U.S. citizens being profiled and detained due to their ethnicity. In addition to the Milwaukee example, the troubling details of last week’s Newark, NJ ICE raid – which led to the detention of a U.S. military veteran and U.S. citizen – was a snapshot of the types of indiscriminate enforcement we fear the Trump administration is seeking to turbocharge.
East County News Service
January 29, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The City of Lemon Grove is now accepting applications for residents and business owners interested in serving on the Measure T Oversight Committee. Applications will be accepted beginning January 27, 2025, through February 20, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
The Measure T Oversight Committee is being established following the approval of Measure T – the Lemon Grove Sales Tax Measure – by voters in the November 5, 2024 State General Election. This measure, which is formally known as Ordinance No. 466, added Chapter 3.18 to the Lemon Grove Municipal Code, and mandates the formation of an oversight committee to monitor the implementation of Measure T funds.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- 18 years or older by the time of appointment
- Applicants may be residents or business owners within the City of Lemon Grove
The Measure T Oversight Committee will consist of five members. Interested candidates must submit their application by February 20, 2025. On February 25, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., applicants will have the opportunity to present their qualifications to the City Council during a Special City Council Meeting. A random drawing will determine the order of presentations, followed by potential questions from the Council. The final selection of the five committee members will take place during the Regular City Council Meeting on March 4, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Key Dates:
- Application Period: Monday, January 27 – Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
- Special City Council Meeting (Applicant Presentations): Monday, February 25, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
- Regular City Council Meeting (Appointments): Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Applications are available at the City Clerk’s Office, located at 3232 Main Street, Lemon Grove, CA 91945, or on the City’s website at https://www.lemongrove.ca.gov/our-government/office-of-the-city-clerk/
For additional information, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (619) 825-3841 or visit the City’s website.