El Cajon council backs federal bill to ease local checks on unaccompanied minors, votes 3-2

The El Cajon City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday to send a letter supporting a proposed federal bill (referred to in the meeting as H.R. 1680) that would amend federal immigration law to allow greater cooperation between local law enforcement and federal authorities on certain immigration matters, including welfare checks for unaccompanied minors believed to be living in the city.

The motion, carried by a 3-2 vote with Mayor Pro Tem Gary Kendrick and Councilmember Michelle Mitchell voting no, directs staff to transmit a letter expressing the city’s support for the bill as drafted in the council packet and noting the city’s interest in being able to perform welfare checks on unaccompanied minors and to assist in removing convicted criminal aliens as federal law permits.

Why it matters: Councilmembers who supported the letter said the goal is public safety and child welfare — to confirm the status and safety of up to 52 unaccompanied minors the council was told may be living in El Cajon. Opponents cautioned that SB 54 (California’s trust act) remains law and that the council should not endorse federal language before the bill text is publicly available.

During discussion Councilmember Goble said data presented to the council showed there are "many convicted criminals of serious and violent crimes living in El Cajon illegally" and cited a reported figure of "as many as 52 unaccompanied minors" who may be in the city. Rebecca Brandstetter, a speaker who asked the council to delay a letter until the bill text is available, warned that H.R. 1680 was, as of the meeting time, "a pig in a poke" because the congressional text was not posted on the public website.

Opponents also raised legal and practical concerns. Council critics pointed to alleged shortfalls in the city’s SB 54 compliance documentation and urged the council to focus on completing required local policies before supporting federal changes. Supporters said federal law enforcement had told them it would not ask local officers to take actions that would jeopardize their standing under state law and that a crafted federal change might permit simple welfare checks and cooperation on removal of convicted criminals.

The council directed staff to prepare and send the letter of support. The item’s sample letter references the bill’s purpose as amending the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and cites the aim of allowing local law enforcement to work with federal counterparts to detain criminal illegal immigrants and help ensure the safety of unaccompanied minors.