A proposal to create “ICE-free zones” at Alameda County-owned buildings passed an important committee vote Thursday, and now heads to the Board of Supervisors for a final vote at the end of the month. Pete Suratos reports.
A proposal to create “ICE-free zones” at Alameda County-owned buildings passed an important committee vote Thursday, and now heads to the Board of Supervisors for a final vote at the end of the month.
“We are doing everything possible through the current political climate, and this current administration,” said Nikki Fortunato Bas, District 5 supervisor.
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WATCH HEREBas says the ICE-free zones at county-owned buildings are one of two proposals being considered to protect immigrant communities.
The other proposal focuses on creating a county-wide response plan for future ICE activity.
The push for both proposals began last fall, when ICE agents arrived at the Coast Guard Island in Alameda.
But the push for ICE free zones has become more urgent for both county officials and community members following the deadly Minneapolis ICE shooting of Renee Good.
“Many of our county spaces are spaces families need to go. They need to go to court, they need to go to the hospital… Have them free of ICE [is] really a relief for our community,” said Oakland Unified School Board Vice President Valerie Bachelor.
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“It’s important to us in our community that our members stay safe. People are not going to work, people not going to laundry,” said Adriana Martinez of Oakland.
And similar policies prohibiting immigration enforcement on county or city owned buildings have already passed in areas such as Santa Clara County and the City of San Jose.
“Our resources, our properties should only be used for our safety net services,” Bas said.
However, Borgar Solnordal with the Alameda County GOP says he supports ICE, and believes the zones will not stop ICE agents from carrying out immigration enforcement in the county.
“I don’t think it’s really going to affect the federal government coming here, I think they’ll come and do their job,” said Solnordal.
A final vote on both proposals will take place at the next board meeting on Jan. 27.
