SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo presented a Senate joint resolution (SJR 9) before the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, denouncing the mass deportation raids targeting workers and families across the state, according to her press secretary. The resolution was co-authored by Sens. Jesse Arreguin and Melissa Hurtado.
“California is home to over 10 ½ million immigrants, 2.3 million of whom are undocumented,” Durazo said, according to Press Secretary Jonathan Loe. “They are the heart of our diverse communities whose invaluable contributions make us the fourth-largest economy in the world.”
Since June 6, federal immigration authorities have carried out various military-style raids using unmarked vehicles, sealing off entire streets, and performing warrantless arrests, which have terrorized both immigrant and surrounding communities, the press secretary said.
These raids have reportedly targeted schools, hospitals, workplaces, churches and other traditionally protected spaces. In one incident, agents attempted to enter two Los Angeles Unified elementary schools seeking children as young as first grade, according to the press office.
“The Trump administration has made clear: no place is safe from his cruel mass deportations,” Durazo said through her press secretary. “These places are meant to be places of inspiration, protection, empathy and education. No one should have access to enforce immigration policy in these areas.”
Durazo cited a joint UC Merced–Bay Area Council report estimating that $275 billion in GDP is at risk if deportations continue. Undocumented Californians contribute more than $23 billion annually in local, state and federal taxes, according to her office.
The resolution addresses the discriminatory nature of the enforcement actions, which have disproportionately targeted Latino and AAPI communities, Durazo said.
“This is clear-cut racial profiling,” she added. “We are witnessing residents who have lived here for the majority of their lives being torn from their communities, parents being taken away from their children, and even students afraid to go to school.”
Federal actions have led to the arrest and assault of several peaceful protesters and elected leaders, including SEIU California President David Huerta and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, raising serious concerns about violations of constitutional rights, such as freedom of speech, the right to assemble, and the erosion of checks and balances, according to Durazo’s office.
SJR 9 affirms that California stands with immigrant families, workers and community leaders against neighborhood intimidation under the guise of enforcement. It rejects the criminalization of peaceful protest and reaffirms constitutional rights. It also commits to safeguarding the rights and safety of all Californians regardless of immigration status and supports the expansion of legal services and emergency response resources for affected families.
“Let the nation see a state that proudly defends immigrants, defends all of its residents, and defends the Constitution,” Durazo concluded. “Because everyone—regardless of immigration status—deserves the right to live their life with liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
The resolution is co-sponsored by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), California Immigrant Policy Center, and CARECEN-LA, according to the press secretary.
Does the Senator believe the President or anyone else in Washington will even read the resolution? They will not. They will never see it nor know that it exists.