The Oceanside City Council will consider a motion next Wednesday restricting cooperation with federal immigration officers.
The proposed policy would prohibit federal immigration agents from conducting enforcement in non-public areas of city property without a warrant. City employees and contractors would also be prohibited from sharing sensitive information with federal immigration officers. If the resolution passes, the city would establish written procedures for the Oceanside Police Department to follow when responding to requests for assistance from federal immigration agents.
The motion was drafted by Councilmember Jimmy Figueroa and Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce. They said they’re looking out for the many mixed-status families who live in Oceanside.
“At the end of the day, for mixed-status families, those that are left behind, they’re here in our city,” Figueroa told ABC 10News. “And it’s up to us to figure out what we can do to help the folks in our community.”
Oceanside is located in San Diego County, approximately 50 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. According to U.S. Census data, foreign-born persons make up over 20% of the city’s population.