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Mission Viejo council unanimously approves immigration resources page, adds OC Bar links
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Summary
The City Council voted unanimously Feb. 24 to publish a community immigration resources page — including links to the Orange County Bar Association and other vetted resources — after staff clarified content and council reordered links to emphasize government sources first.
The Mission Viejo City Council unanimously approved posting a community 'immigration resources' web page on Feb. 24 after hearing more than a dozen public commenters urging the city to include vetted legal and local resources.
Staff described the draft page as combining Councilmember Vasquez's earlier report with suggested additions including preventative guidance from Mission Viejo Police Chief Jason Ivins, a statement from Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes and links to vetted organizations. City staff said the list would include government first (USCIS, state pages), then the Orange County Bar Association resources and other community organizations.
Why it matters: Multiple residents said a city‑operated resource would give residents, visitors and incoming Olympic participants quick access to reliable, non‑partisan information about rights, responsibilities and local services. "Information could include information on safety, responsibility, and rights," Janice Uffenheimer told the council. Kathy Palmer requested a direct link to the Orange County Bar Association's immigration resources page.
Council discussion focused on order and content: some members emphasized starting with official government pages; others stressed that OCBA and local nonprofits were vetted, nonpartisan resources. Councilmember concerns about perceived encouragement to evade enforcement were discussed and councilmembers agreed the materials were informational, not guidance to break the law.
Vote and outcome: A motion to approve the staff recommendations with a friendly reordering of links passed unanimously. Council directed staff to ensure the list matched the previously circulated exhibit and to include detainee‑locator resources (Federal Bureau of Prisons and ICE detainee locator) where appropriate.
Next steps: Staff will publish the page to the city website with the agreed ordering and links, and will make any minor edits requested by council.
