The Vista City Council will vote tonight on limiting local law enforcement collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, among other "sanctuary city" policies.
Councilmembers Dan O'Donnell, Corinna Contreras and Katie Melendez proposed the suite of policy changes, the Community Safety and Due Process Resolution, which includes: disseminating "Know Your Rights" information and making a city-backed website with the same information, prohibiting federal law enforcement from conducting immigration enforcement in non-public city-owned or city-controlled properties without a warrant, ensuring future city contracts stipulate the prohibition of sharing sensitive information with immigration authorities unless required by law and requiring the same of city-collected information.
The item passed on its first reading 3-2 on Sept. 23, with Mayor John Franklin and Councilman Jeff Fox opposed.
Supporters of the item, including representatives from San Diego Organizing Project, Sowing Seeds of Dignity and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, will rally outside city hall at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
Franklin, who remains opposed to the policy changes, will host his own news conference at city hall at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
He said the resolution would undermine collaboration between the city and federal government.
"Just like Presidents Clinton, Obama and Biden, I believe that illegal immigrants who commit crimes should be deported. Local law enforcement should work hand-in-hand with federal agencies to keep our communities safe," Franklin said. "Vista deserves leadership that puts public safety first, not partisan policies that treat law enforcement with hostility and suspicion."
Vista follows the council-manager form of government, where the mayor is an elected member of the council. Franklin is currently a candidate for San Diego County Supervisor.
The special meeting of the Vista City Council is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Vista City Hall on Tuesday, at 200 Civic Center Drive.
