The Sacramento City Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday night declaring Sacramento “a sanctuary city for transgender people.”
The resolution was introduced by Councilmember Katie Valenzuela and was drafted by the Democratic Socialists of America. It is modeled on a previous resolution declaring Sacramento a sanctuary city for immigrants. The resolution states that “no city resources - including staff time - would be used to detain individuals seeking care, or otherwise to cooperate with jurisdictions seeking to enforce laws criminalizing gender affirming care in other jurisdictions.”
The resolution isn’t merely symbolic, Valenzuela said. Bills restricting gender-affirming care, particularly for minors, have been introduced in at least 37 states. In 2022, California lawmakers passed SB107, which also protects people being prosecuted out of state for violating these laws.
“We debate the many issues in our city, but there’s no shade of gray when it comes to civil rights,” Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said before to the vote. “And when it comes to talking about the human rights of people, our city is consistent and we’re strong.”