SAN JOSE, CA – San Jose’s elected leaders and nonprofit organizations, according to the San Jose Mercury News, have made a public plea to increase protection for its immigrant community, claiming the incoming Trump administration carries “potential threats.”
In fear of aggressive federal immigration enforcement, Councilmembers Peter Ortiz, Pamela Campos, David Cohen and Domingo Candelas have urged the city to explore advancing their financial services and resources for the immigrants, reports the Mercury News.
Candelas said it is the city of San Jose’s responsibility to “reaffirm our commitment to providing a safe place for everyone to live (and) work, regardless of immigration status, ” wrote the Mercury News.
Since Trump’s inauguration the fear of mass deportations is spreading in the immigrant community, notes the Mercury News, referencing the 78 immigrants in Kern County detained by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in mid-January.
According to The Mercury News, foreign-born residents make up over 40 percent of Santa Clara County with 50 percent of households including at least one immigrant and 54 percent of residents speaking a non-English language at home.
Cohen and The Mercury News reveals San Jose “has the sixth-highest percentage in the world for residents born in another country,” adding to the city’s originality and culture.
San Jose’s city council rules committee has been reviewing its existing practices and potential avenues to expand resources by approving coordinating protection efforts with county officials and nonprofit partners to come up with a resolution for the City Council, the Mercury News wrote, stressing the council is committed to “preserving the safety and dignity of all residents, regardless of immigration status.”
The Mercury News reported San Jose police officials have stood firm in the department’s decision not to inquire about residents’ immigration status if they abide by the law, refusing to “detain, question, or arrest individuals solely for the purpose of determining whether they are undocumented,”
The Mercury News confirms that this ensures any law-abiding citizen to be able to “come forward to report crimes or seek help without fear of deportation or arrest.”
Santa Clara County has dedicated $5 million in financial resources thus far, but additional support from governmental agencies is encouraged, adds the Mercury News.
In a letter to the city’s rules committee, Deputy County Executive David Campos stresses it is crucial to support the community through the next federal administration, because “our role as government is to work towards a community where everyone can live, work, play, and thrive,” reported the Mercury News.
