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.
By Miriam Raftery
Photo: Opponents of resolution rallied Monday in El Cajon; CBS 8 video screenshot
Read the revised resolution on pages 57-59 from City Council agenda attachments
January 28, 2025 (El Cajon) – A crowd of about 75people opposed to mass deportations held a rally outside El Cajon’s City Hall yesterday to speak out against Mayor Bill Wells’ proposed resolution for the city to fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The City Council will hold a hearing today at 3 p.m. on the controversial measure.
Changes have been made since the last meeting, adding praise for the city’s “vibrant and diverse immigrant communities” but also declaring the city’s intent to “comply with federal immigration law to the legal extent permissible under SB 54 and other applicable laws to remove violent criminals from our community.” SB 54 is a state law which prohibits cities from turning anyone over to federal immigration authorities unless they have been convicted in court of committed certain serious felony crimes, such as murder or rape.
But President Donald Trump has declared a border emergency and ordered immigration officials to conduct broad sweeps in immigrant communities. In recent days, people including citizens have been stopped, asked for documents to prove citizenship, and many have been detained. Trump has stated his goal is to deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.—going far beyond the small percentage convicted of felonies.
His administration has set forth quotas to arrest 1,000 to 15,000 immigrants daily, 75 for each Border Patrol district every day. Agents have been going into shopping areas, fields, and are now authorized to enter schools, churches, and hospitals to arrest immigrants. Trump has also voiced his intent to denaturalize some citizens and to revoke legal status for some immigrants with special protected status, such as Haitians.
Might the Trump administration in the future ask local cities and police to assist in handing over citizens whose legal status has been arbitrarily revoked? What if Trump revokes legal status for Iraqi and Afghan immigrants granted special protected status for helping our military? Already, Trump has blocked flights for Afghans and others granted refugee status, including some who helped our military and could face death if returned to their homeland, as well as family members of active duty U.S. military.
Mayor Bill Wells notes that the Trump administration has threatened to arrest city officials who don’t cooperate on immigration arrests, while state law mostly prohibits this, putting cities “between a rock and a hard place.” The city sent a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta seeking clarification on the city’s legal obligations regarding immigration, and whether the state would indemnify the city if it did not comply with federal orders. Bonta has sent a reply, which included a long list of links and information, but did more to muddy the waters than clarify the points raised.
He added in a CBS interview,“If someone commits a crime, and we catch them...we should be able to tell ICE what is going on.” That goes against the principle in the U.S. that a person is presumed innocent until a judge or jury finds them guilty of a crime. Detention or deportation without a trial raises the specter of what has happened under third-world dictatorships in some countries, where thousands of people have disappeared after being merely accused of crimes, including political dissidents.
“The people, divided, will never be united,” the crowd chanted at yesterday’s rally.
Some voiced fear or anger over the proposed resolution. A woman named Violet, whose last name was not provided, tearfully said a friend was just picked up by immigration authorities. She shared a cell phone photo showing Border Patrol officers in El Cajon.
Others voiced fear of being stopped and asked for papers to prove citizenship, an action that arguably violates the 4th Amendment ban on warrantless searches. One rally participant suggested that if this goes through, the Mayor and Councilmembers will lose in the next election.
Some Councilmembers have voiced concerns over the resolution.
Councilmember Michelle Metschel noted that a resolution is not needed to affirm public safety or seek clarification on the laws from state or federal authorities. She noted that many who spoke against the resolution had voiced legitimate fears, the said, ”I originally signed on to support this,” she said of the resolution, “but as an adult and a representative of my community, I’m entitled to chance my mind as I get more information and as people talk to me,” Metschel added, drawing applause. “These are the heart and soul of what we’re representing,” she said of the speakers present. “I am elected to support them.”
At the last Council meeting on January 14, as ECM reported, Vice Mayor Gary Kendrick revealed, “My mother was living in Czechoslovakia in 1939 when Hitler came in. They said `Jews have to wear yellow stars, but that’s all that we’re doing.’ Then the Gestapo came for her boss, they dragged him out of the office to wash cars, then they dragged him out again and nobody ever saw him again...I’m very concerned about civil rights, because things tend to creep along and get worse..”
Kendrick also praised immigrants for their contributions to the community and agreed with earlier speakers who said if police are cooperating in turning undocumented immigrants over for deportation, many El Cajon residents would be afraid to come forward to report crimes if they are victims or witnesses. ““I don’t want people living here in fear,” he concluded.
Supporters and opponents of the resolution are expected to turn out in force at today's City Council meeting, which will be held at 3 p.m. at El Cajon City County Chambers, 200 Civic Center Way in downtown El Cajon.
By Miriam Raftery
Photo: screenshot of aerial video by ECM news partner 10 News shows military troops with razor wire at a staging site in the South Bay, as troops prepare to deploy to fortify U.S. - Mexico Border and aid in Trump crackdown on border crossings.
January 26, 2025 (San Diego) – A tough crackdown on immigrants has begun, after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the Southern Border. On Thursday, 1,500 active-duty military troops have been deployed to patrol the borders in San Diego and San Antonio, Texas, with the first soldiers arriving Thursday. 10 News shot footage showing troops, including hundreds from Camp Pendleton, arriving at staging area in Imperial Beach along with concertina razor wire, tents, and military trucks.
Yet according to Associated Press, data doesn’t back up Trump’s contention of an “invasion” of immigrants. In fact, AP reports, “arrests for illegal border crossings plummeted more than 80% to about 47,000 in December from an all-time high of 250,000 the same period a year earlier. Arrests fell by about half when Mexican authorities increased enforcement within their own borders a year ago and by about half again when former President Joe Biden introduced severe asylum restrictions in June.”
Immigration sweeps have also begun across the nation, striking fear into immigrant communities as Border Patrol agents in some areas reportedly demanded documentation of everyone stopped, including citizens. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, told Fox News that ICE arrested over 308 “serious criminals” in the first 24 hours after Trump took office.
One day later, Newsweek reports, Trump’s Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman lifted a long-standing ban, now allowing ICE to target immigrants in sensitive locations including schools, churches and hospitals.
In addition to fortifying the border to block crossings by migrants, including many seeking asylum and fleeing violence or persecution, Trump's administration has disabled the app which formerly allowed asylum-seekers to apply online without crossing the border, effectively blocking all asylum efforts, NPR reports.
That violates international law. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, "Seeking asylum is a human right and every person in the world has the right to apply for asylum if they are fleeing conflict or persecution. They must not be expelled or returned to situations where their lives or freedoms would be in danger. This is the principle of non-refoulement which is enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention."
The Justice Dept. under Trump has also ordered prosecutors to “investigate any government officials at the state of local effort who refuse to enforce Trump’s immigration policies,” according to Newsweek, putting local officials in the hot seat, since state law prohibits cooperating with federal immigration officials except for turning over criminals convicted of a specified list of serious crimes.
In recent days, immigration sweeps have been occurring across the nation, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and other major cities. Details from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been sketchy, with names released only for a few serious criminals.
But reports across the country suggest innocent people including citizens and even Native Americans are being stopped and harassed by ICE. Newark, New Jersey’s Mayor Ras Baraka issued this statement on Jan. 23: “Today, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided a local establishment in the City of Newark, detaining undocumented residents as well as citizens, without producing a warrant. One of the detainees is a U.S. military veteran who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned. This egregious act is in plain violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees ‘the right of the people be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized. I will be holding a press conference in alliance with partners ready and willing to defend and protect civil and human rights.”
The Arizona Mirror reports that Native Americans have been unlawfully stopped and detained by ICE.
““We now know that Navajo people and enrolled members of other tribes are being detained in Phoenix and other cities by ICE,” Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley said during a committee meeting on Thursday. “The reports that we have received indicate that we need to coordinate an operation or some type of response to help our enrolled tribal members here on the Navajo Nation.”
Navajo tribal leaders reported that they received calls and text messages from Navajo people living in urban areas who have been stopped, questioned or detained by ICE. Those reports sparked outrage among Navajo Nation Council members and prompted a detailed discussion of the topic during a Naabik’íyáti’ Committee meeting.
“These raids have sparked significant fear, especially among tribal members in urban areas who face challenges with documentation,” the Navajo Nation Council said in a press release.
California has 2.4 million undocumented immigrants, the most of any state, the Los Angeles Times reports. Many farmworkers are staying home, terrified of being detained or deported after recent raids, New Republic reports. ““We’re in the middle of our citrus harvesting,” Casey Creamer, president of the industry group California Citrus Mutual, told CalMatters. “This sent shockwaves through the entire community. People aren’t going to work and kids aren’t going to school. Yesterday about 25 percent of the workforce, today 75 percent didn’t show up.”
San Diego County has an estimated 170,000 undocumented immigrants. In an interview with CBS 8, Pedro Rios with the American Friends Service Committee warned of potential economic impacts if large-scale removals were to occur. "It would mean that suddenly we wouldn't have people in the service industry” he said, also voicing concerns over separation of children from parents. “We wouldn't have people in the agricultural industry. We wouldn't have people that are professionals that touch every aspect of our life,” Rios said.
By Miriam Raftery
Times of San Diego and Voice of San Diego contributed to this report
Photo by Chris Stone, Times of San Diego: Nora Vargas at a 2022 rally
December 20, 2024 (San Diego)—In an announcement that surprised even her staff, San Diego County Supervisors’ Chair Nora Vargas today announced she will step down January 6 at the end of her term, despite winning reelection in November with 62.5% of the votes.
“Due to personal and security reasons, I will not take the oath of office for a second term,” Vargas said, Times of San Diego reports.
Vargas has drawn vitriolic and criticism from conservatives and racist remarks over her advocacy for equity and support for immigrants, including her recent measure urging the Sheriff not to cooperative with federal authorities on mass deportation efforts under the incoming Trump administration. (The Sheriff has said she is required to follow state law, not county policy on the latter.) But she has also drawn opposition from allies after recent disputes with labor groups and concerns from residents who feel she hasn’t done enough to address the sewage crisis in the Tijuana River and from Spring Valley residents opposed to sleeping cabins for homeless people in their community, a project which Vargas later withdrew.
She is also the target of legal claims alleging that she and her staff discriminated against prospective employees,including blocking Michael Vu, county administrator and former registrar of voters, from being named the county’s chief executive officer. Vue claims Vargas sought to appoint a Hispanic or black candidate instead. Vargas denies these claims.
The County’s first Latina Supervisor has faced a flurry of hateful comments online as well as abusive remarks at public meetings. She called a recess at the most recent Dec. 10 meeting due to screaming audience member. Voice of San Diego reports that Vargas has said she has had death threats and other extreme harassment. “I have stalkers. I have people who harass me on phones,” she said during a recent board discussion on changing meeting rules to prevent disruptions.
In a statement, Vargas said, “It has been my honor to serve in public office during unprecedented times,” adding that her priority has been to ensure that “everyone can be seen, heard and have a chance to thrive.” She considers her proudest accomplishments to include leading disaster response and recovery efforts such as after last January’s floods, working to keep communities healthy during the pandemic, and working to assure that government serves all members of the public.
Vice Chair Terra Lawson Remer voiced appreciation for Vargas’ service and assures that “the work and new direction of the county will continue moving forward...advancing our agenda to uplift all communities.”
That may prove challenging, however, since Vargas’ unexpected departure will leave the board split with 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats for the second time in two years. In 2023, then Chairman Nathan Fletcher resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment of a Metropolitan Transit System staffer. He denied those claims, but admitted to an alcohol problem and entered a treatment program.
The remaining four supervisors are expected to discuss at the January 7 meeting whether to appoint a replacement, which may prove difficult given the partisan split, or to call for a special election to let voters choose the next supervisor.
Chula Vista Mayor John McCann has already announced he will seek the seat. Other potential candidates include Assemblyman David Alvarez, Chula Vista Councilmember Carolina Chavez, Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, and San Diego Councilmember Vivian Moreno.
As for her future, Vargas says in her statement that she will remain “committed to continuing the fight for equity, justice, and human rights—just in a different capacity.”
Her decision not to serve her next term is deeply troubling if due to death threats and harassment as she has indicated, something no public official should have to endure. Whether or not other factors influenced her decision, announcing a resignation due to severe harassment also has the disturbing potential to embolden disturbed individuals to launch racist personal attacks or threaten harm to other elected officials--actions that have no place in a free society.
By Miriam Raftery
January 23, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – A federal judge appointed by conservative Ronald Reagan called President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship “blatantly unconstitutional.” U.S. District Judge John Coughenour issued a temporary restraining order to block the order from taking effect, Associated Press (AP) reports. The case was filed by Washington state and others. Plaintiffs argued that the Constitution’s 14th Amendment and Supreme Court case law have cemented birthright citizenship, KQED reports. The judge’s order applies nationwide, while this and other cases are litigated and appealed. A total of five lawsuits have been filed over the issue by 22 states including California, as well as by immigrant rights groups and the American Civil Liberties Union.
“I’ve been on the bench for over four decades. I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order,” Coughenour said during the hearing, CNN reported.
Trump’s order seeks to end citizenship from being issued to children born in the U.S. if the parents are not in the U.S. legally In addition, his order would prohibit citizenship from children born to a mother who is in the U.S. on a temporary and legal basis, such as student, work, or tourist visas, unless the father is a citizen or lawful permanent resident. The order would take effect in 30 days, on Feb. 19, and apply to children born on or after that date.
The order is in direct contradiction to the U.S. Constitution’s 14th amendment, which states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” Trump’s order contends that children of undocumented immigrants as well as children born to mothers here on a temporary basis are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S.
The 14th amendment was adopted after the Supreme Court’s ruling in the controversial Dred Scott v. Sandford case back in 1857, in which justices held that children of slaves were not entitled to citizenship. After passage of the 14th Amendment, a later Supreme Court case in 1898 ruled that Wong Kim Ark, an American citizen born in San Francisco, was wrongly denied reentry to the U.S. after a trip abroad and affirmed the Chinese-American man’s right to citizenship.
View our prior coverage of Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order:
CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters
Photo: Farmworkers work on a field outside of Bakersfield in Kern County on July 25 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local
January 22, 2025 (Kern County, Calif.) - Acres of orange fields sat unpicked in Kern County this week as word of Border Patrol raids circulated through Messenger chats and images of federal agents detaining laborers spread on local Facebook groups.
The Border Patrol conducted unannounced raids throughout Bakersfield on Tuesday, descending on businesses where day laborers and field workers gather. Agents in unmarked SUVs rounded up people in vans outside a Home Depot and gas station that serves a breakfast popular with field workers.
This appears to be the first large-scale Border Patrol raid in California since the election of Donald Trump, coming just a day after Congress certified the election on January 6, in the final days of Joe Biden’s presidency. The panic and confusion, for both immigrants and local businesses that rely on their labor, foreshadow what awaits communities across California if Trump follows through on his promise to conduct mass deportations.
“It was profiling, it was purely field workers,” said Sara Fuentes, store manager of the local gas station. Fuentes said that at 9 a.m., when the store typically gets a rush of workers on their way to pick oranges, two men in civilian clothes and unmarked Suburbans started detaining people outside the store. “They didn’t stop people with FedEx uniforms, they were stopping people who looked like they worked in the fields.” Fuentes says one customer pulled in just to pump gas and agents approached him and detained him.
Fuentes has lived in Bakersfield all her life and says she’s never seen anything like it. In one instance, she said a man and woman drove up to the store together, and the man went inside. Border Patrol detained the man as he walked out, Fuentes said, and then demanded the woman get out of the vehicle. When she refused, another agency parked his vehicle behind the woman, blocking her car. Fuentes said it wasn’t until the local Univision station showed up that Border Patrol agents backed up their car and allowed the woman to leave.
Fuentes says none of the regular farm workers showed up to buy breakfast on Wednesday morning. “No field workers at all,” she said.
Growers and agricultural leaders in California and across the nation have warned that Trump’s promised mass deportations will disrupt the nation’s food supply, leading to shortages and higher prices. In Kern County this week, just the word of the deportations inspired workers to stay away from the fields.
“People are freaked out, people are worried, people are planning on staying home the next couple of days,” said Antonio De Loera-Brust, director of communication for the United Farm Workers. De Loera-Brust said the Border Patrol detained at least one UFW member in Kern County as they “traveled between home and work.”
Videos shared in local Facebook groups and Instagram pages show Border Patrol agents pulling over vehicles along the 99 Highway on Tuesday and Wednesday in Bakersfield.
“They were stopping cars at random, asking people for papers. They were going to gas stations and Home Depot where day laborers gather,” said Antonio De Loera-Brust. “It’s provoking intense anxiety and a lot of fear in the community.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request for comment. On social media, Gregory K. Bovino, the Border Patrol chief in El Centro, called the sweeps “Operation Return to Sender.”
“We are taking it to the bad people and bad things in Bakersfield,” the El Centro Border Patrol said in response to a comment on its Facebook page. “We are planning operations for other locals (sic) such as Fresno and especially Sacramento.”
It’s unclear how many people have been detained by Border Patrol or how long the operation would last.
“We’re in the middle of our citrus harvesting. This sent shockwaves through the entire community,” said Casey Creamer, president of the industry group California Citrus Mutual, on Thursday. “People aren’t going to work and kids aren’t going to school. Yesterday about 25% of the workforce, today 75% didn’t show up.”
He pushed back on the Border Patrol’s claims they’re targeting bad people. He said they appeared to be general sweeps of workers.
“If this is the new normal, this is absolute economic devastation,” said Richard S. Gearhart, an associate professor of economics at Cal State-Bakersfield.
In the short term, he predicted farms and dairies could make up the losses, but that homebuilders, restaurants and small businesses would be most hurt financially.
But he’s worried about the long-term.
“You are talking about a recession-level event if this is the new long-term norm,” he said.
Agriculture comprises about 10 percent of Kern County’s gross domestic product and undocumented workers may comprise half of the workforce, he said. And the Central Valley provides about a quarter of the United States’ food.
“So, you WILL see, in the long run, food inflation and food shortages,” he wrote in a text message.
He predicted immigrants, even ones with documents, would stop shopping, going to school and seeking health care.
“So, this could have some serious deleterious long run impacts beyond lost farm productivity. Losses in education and health would be catastrophic,” he said. “Basically, you know how Kern County complains about oil? This event would be analogous to shutting down oil production. Economic catastrophe.”
For the record: The first paragraph of this story has been updated to reflect that orange fields went unpicked. The original version referred to grape fields. However, this time of year, grape fields are being pruned, not picked.
CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters
By Miriam Raftery
Image: Wong Kim Ark, whose landmark 1898 lawsuit led to a Supreme Court ruling affirming citizenship for all children born in the U.S., regardless of parents' immigration status. Born in the U.S.,Kim had been denied reentry after traveling abroad. Photo via 1904 immigration document.
January 21, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Multiple lawsuits have been filed seeking to block an executive order yesterday issued by President Donald Trump which aims to end birthright citizenship. Trump’s order seeks to end citizenship from being issued to children born in the U.S. if the parents are not in the U.S. legally In addition, his order would prohibit citizenship from children born to a mother who is in the U.S. on a temporary and legal basis, such as student, work, or tourist visas, unless the father is a citizen or lawful permanent resident. The order would take effect in 30 days, on Feb. 19, and apply to children born on or after that date.
The order is in direct contradiction to the U.S. Constitution’s 14th amendment, which states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” Trump’s order contends that children of undocumented immigrants as well as children born to mothers here on a temporary basis are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S..
The 14th amendment was adopted after the Supreme Court’s ruling in the controversial Dred Scott v.Sandford case back in 1857, in which justices held that children of slaves were not entitled to citizenship. After passage of the 14th Amendment, a later Supreme Court case in 1898 ruled that Wong Kim Ark, an American citizen born in San Francisco, was wrongly denied reentry to the U.S. after a trip abroad and affirmed the Chinese-American man’s right to citizenship.
Today, in separate lawsuits, a coalition led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and numerous states led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, seek to protect rights of all children born in the U.S.
“Denying citizenship to U.S.-born children is not only unconstitutional—it’s also a reckless and ruthless reputation of American values,” says ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero in a statement . The ACLU lawsuit is joined by the Asian Law Caucus, State Democracy Defenders Fund, and Legal Defense Fund. The suit seeks temporary and permanent injunctions to block the executive order from taking effect.
California Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit on behalf of 18 states and the City of San Francisco, seeking an immediate temporary injunction to block implementation while litigation proceeds. Bonta calls Trump’s order “blatantly unconstitutional and quite frankly, un-American. As home of Wong Kin Ark, a San Francisco native who fought—successfully—to have his U.S. citizenship recognized, California condemns the President’s attempts to erase history and ignore 125 years of Supreme Court precedent.”
He adds, “If allowed to stand, the order would strip tens of thousands of children born each year of their ability to fully and fairly be a part of American society as rightful citizens, with all the benefits and privileges,” adding that such children would then live under threat of deportation, also losing their ability to obtain a Social Security number, work lawfully, vote, serve on juries, or run for public office.
Trump’s order would also be costly to states, putting them at risk of losing federal funding for program such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which are conditioned on the citizenship and immigration status of children served. States would have to foot the bill for modifying the operation and administration of such programs on very short notice if the Feb.19 implementation deadline is not blocked. Such action would cause “irreparable harm to the states and their residents,” Bonta’s statement concludes.
Council asks staff to revise resolution, which will be on the agenda January 28
By Miriam Raftery
"I see this as disrespectful from you, the Council, the Mayor and the attorneys...This is going to create a lot of distrust in the community.” -- Jose Cruz, photo, left
"It's about following the law. California is asking us to ignore federal law."--Mayor Bill Wells, photo, right
January 17, 2025 (El Cajon) – In emotional testimony, leaders of the Latino community and others pleaded with El Cajon City Council members on January 14 to reject a resolution proposed by Mayor Bill Wells aimed at maximizing the city’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. With President-Elect Donald Trump’s announced mass deportation intent, which Trump has said could include all undocumented immigrants in the U.S., many speakers voiced fears over potential discrimination by police against people of color, as well as fears that even long-term immigrants and children who have committed no crimes could be rounded up for deportation.
Trump has also said he wants to deport some special protection status immigrants who came here legally, such as Haitians; others with TPS status include Afghans and Iraqis who helped the U.S. military, Ukrainian refugees, and others.
The controversial proposal split the all-Republican Council. After public outcry from speakers unanimously opposed to the resolution, the city council asked staff to make amendments and bring a revised version back for consideration at the January 28 council meeting, with two members voicing strong concerns.
Specifically, El Cajon’s resolution would declare the city’s intent to “assist federal immigration authorities in their enforcement efforts to the maximum legal extent possible under SB 54, the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, and other applicable laws for the purpose of removing those posing a threat to public safety from our community. SB 54 is a California law that bans police from detaining most immigrations or cooperating with immigration authorities unless the immigrant has been convicted of certain serious felony crimes.
City Manager Graham Mitchell said that conflicting federal, state and county laws “put us in a tight spot,” noting that a letter sent by El Cajon to the state attorney general has thus far not been answered.
El Cajon is alone among local cities seeking to adopt such a resolution.
ECM asked neighboring La Mesa’s Police Chief Ray Sweeney how his police force is handling the issue. “We’re following state law. Simple--that’s it,” he said.
San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez similarly has said she will follow state law, not potentially more stringent federal requests, nor County Supervisors’ more liberal resolution seeking to protect more immigrants than under state law. The Sheriff’s department provides protection for all other East County communities, including the cities of Santee and Lemon Grove, as well as all unincorporated areas.
Public comments
Some community members spoke during public comments, while others waited until the agendized item.
Some speakers voiced fear, others expressed outrage, and one threatened legal action.
Eva Pacheco (photo, left) said she has lived in El Cajon for 34 years. Though the resolution claims its aim is to protect public safety, Pacheco said if police collaborate with immigration officers, “The safety of our community is not in play because they will fear the police...especially at the school I am working with, they will be less likely to seek help or report (crimes) to police officers. We have seen this...before, and with this resolution it will be worse. I really, really want toknow as a government body that you are here for the entire community....Talk to the families,” she concluded, drawing applause from the audience.
Dr. Sergio Conti (photo, right), who is originally from Argentina, said his family moved to El Cajon last February and is enjoying “this beautiful city,” but is concerned that could change if the resolution passes. “Of the population in El Cajon, 28% speaks Spanish,” he said, noting that mass deportation could eliminate farmworkers and perhaps city workers who are Spanish-speaking. He emphasized that the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.”We came here for one reason: to give a better future to our son,” he said, adding that his son is studying at the University of California, San Diego to be a history professor. “We work hard every day to make money to pay the rent and feed our families.” He said he opposes the resolution “because it will destroy the lives of many families who only want to work in peace and give a future to their children.”
Jesus Pacheco (photo, left) from Latinos en Accion voiced concern that the resolution would damage the relationship between immigrants and police. “You represent all of us. All of us pay taxes, and we try to the best we can,” said Pacheco, who said he’s lived here for 34 years and has long been a volunteer advocate for quality education, recently succeeding in opening a new building for a middle school locally. “Think about us, and make the right decision,” he urged the Council.
Jose Cruz said he is a U.S. citizen who went to El Cajon High School. “We got stopped by police. They sent Border Patrol who kept us there for hours, just harassing us,” he shared. “I don’t want to deal with that. I don’t want my kids to go through that...If your police do that, they should ask for a passport for every single citizen of El Cajon...I’m very upset with you,” he said, voicing fears that those with brown skin could be subject to stops and detention. “I’m a peaceful person...but I see this as disrespectful from you, the Council, the Mayor and the attorneys...This is going to create a lot of distrust in the community.” He said victims of crimes such as domestic violence won’t report those crimes if they fear police will call immigration officers. “I am a U.S. citizen. They won’t report me...but I don’t want an immigration officer to ask me for papers.”
He told Mayor Wells, “I voted for you, Mr. Mayor, but this just breaks my heart, to be honest with you...I have a 7-year-old boy. I don’t want him to grow up in a place that feels like a police state for brown people. If this thing passes, I might sell my house and move,” he closed, drawing applause.
Mayor Wells interjected, “This is not about taking our police force and turning them into immigration authorities...It’s about following the law. California is asking us to ignore federal law.”
Cruz fired back,”As a Republican, we talk about local issues. This is a local issue.”
The Mayor insisted, “It’s not for us to decide.”
Cruz responded, “It is, and deciding to vote you out next time!” He added that he was talking from personal experience and recalled that as a 14 year old, he was asked for papers. In addition, he said if the resolution passes, besides creating conflicts in the immigrant community, “you’ll be diverting funds from trying to take care of homelessness to rounding up people.”
Violet Lombera (photo,right) with Latinos en Accion said after moving to El Cajon from Brawley, she was stopped by police in what she views as “racial profiling. I don’t want that to happen again...Doing this is really going to separate and divide us. It’s going to attack my community, Mexican Americans...I’ve been attacked. I’ve been segregated. I’ve been racially profiled. You guys need to reconsider this,” she said, voicing fears of people being stopped and asked for proof of citizenship. ”To do this is really going to hurt everybody in our community.”
Pedro Rio (photo, left) is director of the American Friends Service Committee’s border program. “I’ve been working with community members in El Cajon for two decades or more. Considering passing this resolution is showing your true colors,” he said, then accused the Mayor of “fearmongering” that would make people afraid to walk around or shop in the city. He criticized the city manager’s statement that state law prohibits cities from using Border Patrol agents to translate, noting that such use over the years has been a pretext that led to deportation, family separations and “suffering.”
He cited Mayor Wells’ past quote claiming nearly 20 million people crossed the U.S. border illegally. “You’re misinformed,” Rio said. “Most are seeking asylum, a legal right. I implore you to read and understand the laws of this country before engaging in fearmongering and creating so much trauma in the community, for your constituents...We need to wake up and take care of this or we will lose this country completely, and a lot of us are going to lose our lives.”
Salvador Salmiento with the National Day Labor Network said he believes the Council may have good intentions, but added, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Our organization has litigated a bunch of these policies over the years,” adding that he has over the years repeatedly seen ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) detainers issued without probable cause.
Then he warned that if this happens in El Cajon, ”We will sue, as we have” when this occurred elsewhere, adding that in such lawsuits, “ICE doesn’t pay. The city pays...This is a public cost. I know you care about El Cajon. Don’t make this the only thing people hear about El Cajon for the next four years...If this is symbolic, it will still be damaging. If there is actual damage....we will sue...El Cajon, you are all so much better than this. Say no today. El Cajon can be a better example than this.”
Adriano Jasso with the American Friends Service Committee supported members in El Cajon and held meetings with the former Chief of Police regarding SB 54 implementation. “We highlighted the importance to have trust,” Jasso said. “Declaring the intention to assist with federal authorities will set you aside from the rest of the County and potentially bring a spotlight to the community that is anti-immigration, anti-worker, anti-family,” adding that this would “add to the anxiety and uncertainty for people who may be in the country without documentation. Think about the mixed status families; what message are you sending to school children?” She urged Council to reject the resolution and remember that the represent all the people of El Cajon, including families, children and workers.
Arlette Reyes, a nurse and American citizen who came here as an immigrant, said her parents brought her here because Mexico in those days didn’t have enough opportunities for women. “The 1960s and ‘70s are really not that far away,” she said, recalling an era when Spanish could not be spoken in schools, segregation of Mexican-Americans occurred, and police engaged in racial profiling. She fears that people with foreign-sounding names and dark skin will “not be looked at like a citizen.” Reyes
voiced fear for her daughter, who is African-American and Mexican-American, adding that she wants the city to focus on the homeless. Instead of targeting migrants, noting that most of the homeless are “citizens, born and raised here.”
Brenda Hammond (photo, right) invited everyone to “look up the Lemon Grove incident,” which was a segregation case involving the Lemon Grove School District and Mexican-American children. She said most of her friends are Mexican-Americans who came here as children or young people to escape serious problems. “They are grandparents now.”
Stephanie Harper (photo, left) observed, “The last time I heard anybody talk about `let me see your papers’ was Nazi Germany. That’s really scary. A lot of people here are scared, too...We’re all immigrants, unless you’re Indian.” She quoted former president Ronald Reagan: “You can come to American and become an American. That’s what makes us great.” She said the resolution will cause “problems we can’t foresee,” then told the Mayor, “I think this is just a step in your political career, Mr. Wells, to show other people what you’ve done,” adding that this action would not be a good one. The crowd applauded.
Council discussion
Councilwoman Michelle Metschel (photo, right) said she’s talked to residents including in the Hispanic community and believes “they have a real fear that their community is targeted.” She voiced concern that her daughter, whose father is from El Salvador, could be targeted and noted that one relative “may be illegal.” She noted that our region has immigrants from around the world and wants to be sure if “bad actors” are the issue that Hispanics are not targeted.
“I originally signed on to support this,” she said of the resolution, “but as an adult and a representative of my community, I’m entitled to chance my mind as I get more information and as people talk to me,” Metschel added, drawing applause. “These are the heart and soul of what we’re representing,” she said of the speakers present. “I am elected to support them.”
Vice Mayor Gary Kendrick (photo,left) gave an impassioned speech, noting that Metschel and public speakers raised some “good points.” Then he revealed, “My mother was living in Czechoslovakia in 1939 when Hitler came in. They said `Jews have to wear yellow stars, but that’s all that we’re doing.’ Then the Gestapo came for her boss, they dragged him out of the office to wash cars, then they dragged him out again and nobody ever saw him again...I’m very concerned about civil rights, because things tend to creep along and get worse...It’s important we work hard to safeguard everybody’s rights,” he resolved, as the crowd applauded.
Vice Mayor Kendrick continued, “Immigrants are part of the fabric of our community and I don’t want to tear that apart.” He indicated he was okay with handing over convicted criminals, but added, “I do not want to see children dragged out of church, or out of school.” He agreed that undocumented people would be frightened to report crimes or serve as witnesses, adding, “Criminals know they can get away with horrible things because everybody is afraid they’ll be deported...That’s bad policy.” He noted that immigrants contribute financially and some even pay into Social Security. With the U.S. birth rate below the replacement rate,we need more people to come in, he said. “I believe the vast majority of those are honest, hard-working people who make this a better place,” adding that he thrives on the diversity in El Cajon, such as the manyethnic restaurants.
Then for the first time in his 22 years on the City Council, Kendrick quoted a Bible version from Deuteronomy: “You shall also love the strangers, for you are strangers in the land of Egypt.” Kendrick concluded that he doesn’t want to be on the side of those who rounded up Jews and persecuted others under Hitler, when his mother was young.
Kendrick suggested the resolution, if adopted at all, should be amended to add a sentence limiting its enforcement to “only those convicted of serious crimes,” as state law already allows. “I don’t want people living here in fear, because my mom went through that,” he concluded.
Councilman Phil Ortiz (photo, right), who represents a heavily Latino district and is from a second-generation Latino immigrant family, thanked the audience for staying civil. “I don’t think there is a city in the county more welcoming to immigrants than El Cajon,” he began, noting that the city translates materials into several languages and offers grants within immigrant communities. But he said the conflict between state and federal immigration laws need to be worked out. “We need clarification as a city; are our police officers going to be prosecuted when we talk to Border Patrol agents or ICE about someone defrauding someone or a domestic violence suspect or someone getting ready to commit a crime?” He said police officers are “just as worried” as immigrants and suggests SB 54 could mean officers being locked up if they cooperate with ICE beyond what the state law allows.
He tried to reassure those present that broad roundups of immigrants wouldn’t happen. “People say we’ll become the Gestapo. We don’t have the budget for that,” he said, but insisted, “It doesn’t do the community any good to shelter criminals who shouldn’t even be here.”
Councilman Steve Goble (photo, left) said he agrees that California and America have thrived because of immigrants, and that trust between immigrants and officials is important. But he insisted that being asked for papers by police won’t happen because it’s prohibited by state law
“Our interest is protecting you,” he said. Goble suggested changing the title of the resolution, which currently is “Declaring the city’s intent to assist federal immigration authorities to the maximum legal extent permissible under SB 54 and other applicable laws,” to instead emphasize focus on protecting the community. But he maintained that people such as convicted murderers and rapists need to be removed, and that missing unaccompanied minor immigrants need to be found. “We don’t need to find someone who is a landscape company owner or a housekeeper or an accountant or an engineer.”
Councilman Kendrick, seeing that the majority appeared to favor the resolution, suggested sending it back to staff to clarify that police should cooperate with ICE only for convicted criminals.
Goble disagreed. “We are at a precarious situation right now. Two government agencies higher than we are taking opposite sides so we are asking for clarification,”he said, though a resolution isn’t required for the city to continue to seek clarification on legalities. “I don’t think we are being racist or provocative. ...I don’t think we need to send this back,” indicating a willingness to vote for the measure. ”No Nazi Germany situation is happening here,” he added, drawing protests from the crowd. “We don’t want to be prosecuted...this came up because our police officers could lose their jobs, lose pensions, or be sued civilly if they follow the law.
Motions and vote
Goble then made a motion to adopt the resolution.
But Metschel asked pointedly, “Why do we have to make a resolution?”
Mayor Wells conceded, “We don’t have to,” and the audience applauded.
Metschel noted that the city has already asked for guidance from the state attorney general, who didn’t respond. “We already did that. We don’t need a resolution to do that. We don’t need a resolution to maintain public trust...and the majority of the public here right now, they are not trusting us...We’ve affirmed commitment to public safety, so why do we need a resolution to reaffirm commitment to safety?”
The Mayor said, “The reason is because the state of California is at odds with the feds,” though no other local city has seen a need to pass a resolution on this issue.
Goble then proposed a substitute motion to send the draft resolution back to staff to “reflect some of the concerns we’ve heard here today, affirming existing community values and emphasizing the purpose of protecting all citizens from those who have committed crimes and who are here illegally.”
The motion to send the resolution back to staff passed 4 to 1, with only Mayor Wells voting in opposition.
The Mayor thanked everyone for “participating in democracy.”
Next hearing
The revised resolution is slated to be on the agenda for the next El Cajon City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 28 at 3 p.m. at El Cajon City Council Chambers,200 Civic Center Way in downtown El Cajon.
View video of full Council meeting on Jan. 14, 2025
Contact information for El Cajon City Councilmembers:
Mayor Bill Wells
(619) 441-1788 / bwells@elcajon.gov
Gary Kendrick, District 1, Mayor Pro Tem
(619) 441-1788 / gkendrick@elcajon.gov
Michelle Metschel, District 2
(619) 441-1788 / mmetschel@elcajon.gov
Steve Goble, District 3
(619) 441-1788 / sgoble@elcajon.gov
Phil Ortiz, District 4
(619) 441-1788 / portiz@elcajon.gov