Supervisors Debate Immigration Resolution Amid Divided Opinions

“. . . Riverside County is a vibrant, compassionate, and welcoming county for all law-abiding immigrants and refugees; and commits to safeguarding the civil rights of all our residents to the fullest extent provided by the law,” declared the Resolution which the County Board of Supervisors adopted at its Feb. 4 meeting.

More than two hours of public speakers – both supportive and opposed– came before the Board and significant discussion among the Supervisors took place before the vote.

The vote on the Resolution, which Board Chair V. Manuel Perez (4^(th) District) and Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez (5^(th) District) proposed, was not unanimous. Supervisor Karen Speigel (2^(nd) District) was the lone “no” vote. During the discussion she expressed surprise with some comments and sympathy for some of the speakers. “I hadn’t heard a lot of these issues in Riverside County about folks being taken into custody.”

But she also noted that some of the public statements seemed to stretch what she had previously been told. For example, while many supporters argued that the County’s Sheriff’s Department was frequently collaborating with the Federal Immigration and Customs enforcement Agency in order to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants, Speigel said that there were only 13 individuals turned over to ICE. Each of them had been involved in some crime against a person or property.

One of her reasons for opposing the resolution was “. . . this is just words not action.”

While some speakers argued that the Resolution would make Riverside County a sanctuary jurisdiction for illegal immigrants and expend resources on this issue, both Perez and Supervisor Chuck Washington (3^(rd) District) had County Executive Jeff Van Wagenen and County Counsel Minh Tran address this allegation. Both affirmed that the resolution’s language does not create a sanctuary nor affect the County Sheriff’s operations.

In response to both Supervisors, Van Wagenen stated the Resolution does not establish Riverside County as a sanctuary. He also stated that there are no new or additional costs as a consequence of its approval.

“Does it direct us to spend any funds tomorrow that we’re not spending today? No!,” he stated. “Does it direct us to take any action tomorrow that we can’t today? No”

Tran explained that there is no conflict with either State or Federal laws. Furthermore, the Counsel’s staff added two clauses to ensure that there was no uncertainty about it language. The first clarifies that all Riverside County departments will comply with State and Federal laws.

It states, “. . . this Resolution shall not be construed to prohibit any County department’s assistance or cooperation with federal authorities if required by state and/or federal laws.”

The second clause explicitly states both the District Attorney’s and Sheriff’s Offices maintain independence in investigative and prosecutorial actions.

Among the many public speakers were several youths. They expressed support for the Resolution. One felt it would help his friends return to school without fear that they would be arrested for simply being illegally here.

“This resolution recognizes the true history of the country. This resolution gives Riverside County a chance to lead with decency and fairness,” said Nathan Kempos.

“This conversation is always tough, but it needs to be had,” Perez shared as he began his comments.

And he concluded, “We have not stopped supporting our Sheriff’s Department and public safety. This is not a political issue; it is a moral obligation! It is my responsibility to speak up on this resolution which acknowledges what we’re already doing.”