Oxnard residents ask city council to declare Oxnard a ‘Safe City’
Hundreds of Oxnard residents are asking city officials to declare Oxnard, a “Safe City” for undocumented residents.
The group gathered in front of Oxnard City Hall just before the city council meeting on Tuesday night. The group was so large two overflow rooms were supplied to fit the crowd. The Oxnard City Council listened to several public comments, but did not make a decision at the meeting.
Oxnard has the largest immigrant population in Ventura County. Fear is spreading throughout the community, since the Trump Administration announced sweeping deportation plans. Organizers say mass deportations that the Trump Administration has announced would tear apart families and create economic chaos.
Raul Lopez works with Central Coast Alliance United for A Sustainable Economy, or CAUSE, he explained why the wording would be “Safe City” instead of “Sanctuary City”.
“So to the politicians they are afraid of getting funding stripped because of a title so we are trying to alleviate that in that sense, just so we can get something passed that shows the community that there city council is behind them all the way,” said Lopez.
Oxnard’s Mayor Tim Flynn, says the local government will not enforce immigration law, but the city will continue to cooperate with federal officials.
“What I would like to see rather then the city adopt a resolution that the city council express their support for safe city, and a safe city in this context means no one in this city has to fear that the police department is in anyway going to detain them or enforce immigration which is a federal policy here locally in the city of Oxnard,” said Flynn.
