BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
Mountain View City Council has banned ICE from using city property as a staging area, processing location or operations base.
ICE can still go on city property with a judge’s warrant or to enforce criminal law, according to the ban.
Council passed the ban unanimously on Tuesday (June 23) without discussion. Dozens of residents wrote emails supporting the ICE ban, which follows similar laws in Campbell, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and San Jose.
“The actions of ICE are cruel and unlawful,” resident Barry Finkelstein said on Monday.
The ban was suggested by Councilwoman Ellen Kamei on May 28 after she heard that ICE is planning to build a detention center outside of Gilroy for illegal immigrants.
Councilmen Chris Clark and John McAlister were initially against the idea because they said the ban would provide a false sense of security.
ICE can still operate on public streets or federal property, like Moffett Field or Shenandoah Square.
“If we go down a path that says, ‘ICE, you can’t do it, I think that’s putting a target on our back,” McAlister said at the May 28 meeting.
Councilman Lucas Ramirez said Mountain View should be part of a regional effort to protect illegal immigrants.
“It won’t solve all the problems,” Mayor Emily Ann Ramos said. “There’s still so much fear out there, but we’re at a point where every little bit counts.”
Be the first to comment