EL CAJON COUNCIL WILL VOTE TODAY ON CONTROVERSIAL IMMIGRATION RESOLUTION
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.