Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Immigration And Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Delano council members voice concerns about immigration enforcement and local violence; urge caution on rumors
Summary
At the June 16 meeting council members voiced strong opinions about federal immigration actions and local violent crime, urging protection of immigrant residents and support for lawful policing while also cautioning residents about unverified rumors on social media.
A Delano council member used the council statements portion of the June 16 meeting to denounce reports of aggressive federal immigration actions and to urge local officials to protect immigrant residents and civil liberties.
The council member, identified in the meeting as a member of the Delano City Council, called reports of possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations "alarming" and said recent federal actions threatened democratic norms and could intimidate immigrant communities. “Deploying the military on our own people, intimidating our immigrant communities, and sowing fear among vulnerable residents is not leadership,” the council member said, urging elected officials to “stand with our immigrant neighbors.” The speaker also stated that being undocumented is not a criminal offense but a civil matter, and called on other officials to defend constitutional rights.
Another council member cautioned residents about circulating unverified reports on social media and recommended using existing local resources for verification, noting a rapid response network in Kern County. That member said rumors can cause panic and real-world consequences and asked residents to “verify those claims or, think twice before sharing something that hasn't been validated.”
Separately during public comment, Pastor David Vivas and other residents raised long-standing concerns about local unsolved violent crimes and urged community members to come forward with information. Vivas said families of victims continue to wait for justice and urged residents to keep victims' families in their thoughts and prayers. A resident speaker also urged the community to "support the police department in their efforts" to solve homicides and encouraged reporting information to law enforcement.
No formal council actions on immigration enforcement or the unsolved violent crimes were recorded in the meeting minutes; the remarks were part of council statements and public comment.
