Simi Valley residents clash over ICE raids; mayor, council say city cannot conduct federal immigration enforcement

Dozens of residents filled Simi Valley's council chambers on July 21 to press the city to respond to recent federal immigration enforcement activity and to demand clearer local protections for undocumented people.

Mayor Keith Kavanaugh opened the meeting by telling the audience that "immigration falls entirely under the jurisdiction of the federal government, not cities, counties, or states," and that "the City of Simi Valley and the Simi Valley Police Department cannot participate in federal . . . immigration enforcement activities." He urged residents to raise federal concerns with their congressional delegation and to use local resources such as 2-1-1 and Interface services for legal or counseling referrals.

Why it matters: public fear and repeated accounts of masked agents detaining people prompted repeated calls for the council and police to spell out what officers will and will not do when federal agents operate locally. Speakers on both sides of the issue said they feared for public safety and community trust, and several residents asked the council to take explicit, visible steps…