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Santa Paula council creates ad hoc immigration committee after UndocuFund briefing and public pleas for legal, humanitarian aid
Summary
After a presentation from 805 UndocuFund and extensive public comment urging legal and emergency assistance for immigrants, the City Council voted to form a time‑limited ad hoc committee to coordinate local response, outreach and potential funding recommendations.
The Santa Paula City Council voted to form a time‑limited ad hoc committee to develop local responses to recent immigration enforcement activity after hearing a presentation from 805 UndocuFund and nearly two hours of public comment urging legal and humanitarian aid.
Primiti Hernandez, executive director of 805 UndocuFund, told the council the organization has distributed “over $8,500,000 to Santa Barbara County and Ventura County residents over the last 8 years” and described three targeted funds the group operates, including an emergency assistance fund that had raised “over $400,000” and already had a waiting list. Hernandez said the group’s rapid‑response hotline and volunteer network had verified enforcement activity in Santa Paula and sent alerts to more than “32,000 phone numbers” in its database.
The council heard repeated accounts from residents and volunteers about families displaced by recent immigration enforcement. Nicole Sanchez, a volunteer with VC Defensa, urged council action: “We need to offer more for people. We do food deliveries, but we can expand that into our own city,” she said. Other speakers asked the council to fund legal defense and immediate humanitarian support.
City staff presented a draft resolution and framework for an ad hoc committee that would advise the council on regional coordination, legislative advocacy, legal strategies, support for nonprofit providers and community engagement. City staff warned the committee would require staff time and could affect other priorities.
Councilmembers agreed the city should act. The council approved forming an ad hoc committee and appointed Councilmember Crosswhite and Councilmember Ornelas to serve; the committee will be advisory, time‑limited and report back with recommendations on possible funding and outreach steps.
The new committee’s possible topics listed by staff include coordinating with nearby cities and county agencies, examining litigation and participation in regional legal efforts, assessing local funding for legal representation and humanitarian aid, and recommending staff training and volunteer guidance.
The council did not adopt specific funding on the motion to create the committee; staff and the ad hoc will return with recommendations for any spending or contracts.
