On Tuesday, Feb. 7, Arvin residents, clergy, and community leaders will hold a press in front of the Arvin City Hall at 5:30 p.m. to ask city leaders to make Arvin a sanctuary city.
Declaring Arvin a sanctuary city will not only help limit the collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE (Immigrations Customs Enforcement), but it will also send a strong message to the people of Arvin that lets them know that they are welcome.
Recently, Arvin City Council voted down a motion that would declare Arvin a sanctuary city, and opted for drafting a weaker resolution that would provide some protection.
“We need to push more strongly for sanctuary by asking for them to pass a stronger ordinance,” says Josth Stenner of Faith in the Valley Kern County. “The policy the council voted on isn’t strong enough, because it’s a resolution, and Arvin needs an ordinance which essentially has more teeth, it’s more legally binding.”
“The other reason is that the resolution leaves a huge door open and says that the local police department will collaborate when it comes to criminals. The problem is that Trumps executive orders have opened up the definition of who can be considered criminal, and therefore deportable, to pretty much anybody with small misdemeanors, and petty things like driving without a license,” says Stenner.
The sanctuary city won’t stop ICE from coming into Arvin but it sends a message to the administration and will also help create pressure locally, so that our churches and schools can join sanctuary and protect families more directly.
After the press conference the group will address the Arvin City Council at 6 p.m. during the regularly scheduled meeting.
When: Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Arvin City Hall, 200 Campus Dr., Arvin, CA
Who: Faith in The Valley Kern County, Dolores Huerta Foundation, UFW Foundation, The Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, Building Healthy Communities South Kern, residents, students, clergy
