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Resident urges Kern County to declare sanctuary status after Border Patrol actions
Summary
A District 5 resident told the board that recent Border Patrol actions have caused fear in immigrant communities and urged supervisors to meet with local leaders and consider sanctuary-county protections.
Sandra Melgosa, a resident of District 5, used the Jan. 14 public presentations period to urge the Kern County Board of Supervisors to act after recent Border Patrol operations in Bakersfield.
"CBP tore families apart and inflicted fear and terror," Melgosa said, speaking in her personal capacity. She told the board that many residents do not speak out because they are afraid of racial profiling and separation from family and asked supervisors to "sit down with local leaders and listen to us. Make Kern County a sanctuary county and protect us."
Melgosa said businesses had reported reduced traffic and that local children were skipping school because parents were afraid to leave home. She asked the board to take steps to protect immigrant residents and to meet with community leaders to discuss solutions.
The board did not take action on the request during the Jan. 14 meeting. The comment was made during the public presentations portion of the agenda, which is reserved for matters within the board’s jurisdiction but not on the day’s formal agenda.
