Oroville council passes non‑sanctuary resolution, amends language to avoid directing staff to violate state law

The Oroville City Council voted unanimously March 4 to adopt a resolution declaring the city a non‑sanctuary jurisdiction, after amending the draft to remove language that would have directed staff to disobey state law.

Councilmember Thompson introduced the resolution and framed it as a public‑safety measure. He argued that “this resolution is not about protecting our residents from dangerous criminals who under SB 54 are often released back into our communities instead of being turned over to ICE,” and urged the council to send a clear message to the state.

Several council members and city officials raised legal and operational concerns about parts of the draft that appeared to instruct local staff or police to ignore SB 54. Councilmember Weber and the city attorney advised that sections 3 and 7 could be read as directing staff to violate state law; Chief Wines, the police chief, said he would not instruct officers to break state law and that the department must comply with controlling legal requirements.

In response to those concerns the council amended the draft. The council removed the component that could be interpreted as directing staff to ignore SB 54, and added a clarifying sentence noting that nothing in the resolution should be interpreted to prohibit the sharing of information regarding an individual's immigration status with federal authorities “as permitted by 8 U.S.C. 1373.” The council also directed staff to (a) draft and send a letter of support for SB 554 to state legislators and (b) explore options to participate in, or support, litigation including potential coordination with other jurisdictions (for example, Huntington Beach) challenging SB 54’s constitutionality.

City staff and the city attorney committed to returning with details about the legal methods the city could use to support statewide reform efforts, and about implications the resolution might have for state funding and city operations. After the amendment, the council voted by roll call and approved the resolution unanimously.

The council’s action is primarily a policy statement. The adopted version explicitly instructs staff to comply with applicable state law and permits cooperative information sharing with federal authorities when legally allowed, while also signaling the council’s desire for changes to the state statutory framework.