Whittier staff outlines steps after August immigration enforcement; passport fee subsidy and nonprofit funds announced

City staff provided the council a progress report Sept. 9 on actions directed by the Aug. 12 resolution responding to federal immigration enforcement activity.

The report said Whittier Police "continues to operate consistent with SB 54 and does not participate in immigration enforcement." Staff listed several measures: a 90-day waiver of the city’s $35 passport-processing fee for residents and city employees beginning Sept. 1; a $130,000 allocation split between two local organizations (HOT and IFC, $65,000 each); and an additional $50,000 legal-aid allocation to be administered by HOT under a bond-add program.

Staff also said know-your-rights materials in English and Spanish have been distributed across city facilities and posted on the city website and Channel 3. The city has sent letters to state legislators (Assemblymember Lisa Calderon and Senator Bob Archuleta) urging criminalization of impersonating immigration officers and to Congresswoman Linda Sanchez requesting detainee updates from ICE and Border Patrol.

Mayor and council members asked for follow-up data on detainees and on business impacts; staff said businesses reported lighter foot traffic in Uptown but no confirmed workforce impacts tied directly to immigration enforcement. Staff committed to seek monthly detainee updates and to return with numbers.

Several speakers during public comment urged more vigorous council action and criticized the city for insufficient response to reported ICE activity in August. Staff contrasted those critiques with the list of concrete actions now in place and pledged continued monitoring and outreach.

What happens next: staff will monitor the passport-fee subsidy, track distribution and use of the nonprofit funds, follow up with state and federal offices on impersonation and detainee-data requests, and provide monthly progress reports to the council as directed by the Aug. 12 resolution.