RICHMOND — Amid threats of mass deportation by President Donald Trump and his administration, Richmond councilmembers unanimously voted this week to strengthen the city’s sanctuary policy despite threats that jurisdictions with such measures on the books will lose federal funding.
Under consideration by the Richmond City Council on Tuesday was a policy to prohibit the use of city resources, including staff time, to assist with federal immigration enforcement unless required to do so under federal or state law or a judicial warrant.
The policy builds on two others the city already had in place. One informs city staff to direct any communication from immigration agents to the city manager or chief of police and the second limits contract with and investment in companies that work with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.
Councilmember Sue Wilson noted city staff already largely follow the guidelines outlined in the newest policy but by codifying the measure it gives the city a tool to hold staff and elected officials accountable and signals to vulnerable residents that the city stands with them.
Adopting the policy is also not an act of “civil disobedience,” Wilson said, because the ordinance still abides by state and federal law.
“This is not about breaking laws,” Wilson said. “What this is about is agreeing amongst ourselves that city staff are not going to go above and beyond to help Immigration Services and trap people they don’t have a right to.”
The proposal received an outpouring of support from community members, many associated with Reimagine Richmond, a coalition that advocates for public safety reforms. Proponents highlighted the value immigrants bring to Richmond and the threats they face. About 34% of the city’s roughly 115,600 residents are foreign born, according to the U.S. census.
“Immigrants are vital community members, neighbors. Immigrants make our community wonderful. Please do everything you can to resist the violence and trauma that’s being inflicted by the government and create as much safety as possible,” said District 6 resident Sonia Decker.
Immigrants living in the city also spoke up for themselves during Tuesday’s meeting, highlighting their hard work and contributions to the community and the hardships they’ve faced.
“We’re not criminals,” said a woman who identified herself as an immigrant gardener named Ernestina and whose comments were translated from Spanish to English. “What we need from your side as councilmembers is support for our community, to see us as citizens. Our community has been discriminated against and so have our families and the people I know who work hard every single day. Again, we are not criminals.”
Community advocate Yenny Garcia grew up in Richmond but said she didn’t learn she was undocumented until she tried to obtain a driver’s license. As a green card holder today, she said she still doesn’t feel safe under the current administration.
“There’s a fear that I’m never going to be good enough and I’m never going to be protected because this new government … is threatening our safety,” Garcia said. “There are so many community members, families, friends. We need to protect them. We need protection.”
In addition to threats of mass deportation, the Trump Administration has also promised to withhold federal funding from any jurisdiction with sanctuary policies on the books.
Should that threat be realized, Richmond could lose more than $62 million in federal funding. That risk existed regardless of the council’s vote Tuesday given the other two sanctuary policies the city already had in place, said Senior Assistant City Attorney Kimberly Chin.
Councilmembers are likely to weigh in on another policy in the near future that addresses data sharing concerns with other agencies and contractors after Brian Hofer, privacy expert and executive director of Secure Justice, raised the issue.
Councilmember Cesar Zepeda expressed defiance to threats that elected officials could be targeted for supporting such policies and Councilmember Claudia Jimenez asserted “we cannot normalize fear.”
Taking a stand now is also important as the current administration whittles down federal agencies and programs through mass firings, budget cuts and executive orders, Councilmember Doria Robinson said.
“I don’t think you can hide from a tyrant, I don’t think we can make ourselves small enough so we won’t be seen,” Robinson said. “We’re in a moment where we need to do what’s right.”