Garden Grove resident advocates for sanctuary city status amid ICE raid concerns

Concerns over recent ICE raids dominated discussions at the Garden Grove City Council meeting, with community members urging the city to take a stronger stance on immigration issues. One resident highlighted the confusion surrounding the legal status of undocumented immigrants, clarifying that being an illegal immigrant is a civil infraction, not a criminal one.

The speaker called for Garden Grove to adopt policies that would designate it as a sanctuary city, especially in light of its proximity to Huntington Beach, which has declared itself a non-sanctuary city, and Santa Ana, California's first sanctuary city. The resident emphasized the need for the city to provide more resources and support for both citizens and non-citizens, mentioning the OC Rapid Response Network as a valuable resource that could be shared more widely.

Additionally, the speaker criticized the city’s lack of updates on ICE-related information, noting that the last update on the city’s website was from 2019. They suggested that the city could easily share existing resources, such as a PDF created by community members, to better inform residents about their rights and available support.

This passionate plea reflects a growing demand within the community for Garden Grove to actively engage in immigration issues and provide necessary resources to its residents. The call for action highlights the ongoing debate about the city’s role in supporting vulnerable populations amid changing immigration policies.