If the new Trump administration follows through on its declared plan to deport millions of undocumented residents, a policy which would gut the County of Sonoma along with its cities, how should our local government respond?
Some cities, San Francisco, for example, have declared themselves sanctuary cities. They will not cooperate with ICE in rounding up people to verify their citizenship status. Should Sonoma County and its cities follow suit?
It’s hard to believe that we’re talking about sanctuary cities again, but here we are. Trump’s pick for immigration enforcement is the same guy who championed the family separation policy during Trump’s first administration, a cruel disgrace. He’s said he will implement the same shameful policy, and that to avoid separation, whole families, including naturalized citizens, can be deported together.
There’s an effort afoot by the GOP to eliminate native born citizenship status, essentially closing the paths to citizenship to anyone deemed “not acceptable.” The issue of who is and who is not acceptable slides easily into racism and discrimination. Many of us have family members who came to this country one or two generations ago. The United States is a land of immigrants. We used to be proud of our “melting pot,” but no more.
For a small city like Sonoma to declare itself a sanctuary city won’t change things very much. If Sonoma County declares itself a sanctuary, however, small cities may be inclined to join in. Given the important role that immigrants, documented and undocumented, play in our economy and cultural life, this is a matter of major importance.
Our new First District Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo is a member of the Latino community. She grew up in the Springs and could be a forceful voice for declaring the county an undocumented immigrant sanctuary. It only takes three votes of the Board of Supervisors to make it happen.
None of us knows how all this will turn out. Historically, the GOP has argued in favor of states’ rights; it’s the heart of the current women’s reproductive rights debate that these decisions be in the hands of individual states. But the GOP acts hypocritically; it’s not about consistently applying a philosophy to policies but a process of picking and choosing policies that fit an emotional narrative.
Everyone recognizes that our country’s immigration process and procedures are a mess. Every attempt to clean it up, going all the way back to the George W. Bush administration, has failed. For the GOP not having undocumented immigrants to kick around is too great a loss; they treasure having an easy target to disparage. That Trump sabotaged the recent bipartisan legislation to address immigration policy says it all.
So here we are, pushing for states’ rights from the left. It would be ironically entertaining were it not for the fact that the lives and well-being of many millions of people are at stake. We have no choice but to stick up for the voiceless and for those at risk.
Speaking of risks, it’s impossible to know exactly what they are. In so many ways, America is sailing in uncharted waters. Fundamentally, we face a choice between cruelty and kindness, and we advocate kindness. Until our immigration laws make sense, we have no choice but to defend the lives of those who cannot defend themselves.
Sonoma Valley Sun Editorial Board
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