Small group pushes leaders to declare Merced a ‘sanctuary city’

Speakers at a Merced town hall-style meeting this week asked city leaders to declare the town a “sanctuary city.”

At least two residents asked the city leaders to consider the symbolic self-designation during the downtown meeting at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center.

Undocumented immigrants living in Merced County have expressed fear around changes and potential changes to immigration policy during the presidency of Donald Trump. In response to those fears in Livingston, for example, the city has begun the process to become a sanctuary city.

“I think it’s important that the city leadership and the law enforcement send a message that they’re here to protect all the members of our community,” Merced resident Melissa Flamson said. “I know the Trump administration and ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) have their own priority, but as a community we should have our main priorities of protecting the community.”

Trump has talked about deporting 11 million people without documentation, and has promised to build a wall on the Mexican border. He’s also threatened to yank funding from sanctuary cities.

Cities around the state have declared themselves as safe havens, a symbolic gesture to ease the minds of residents who are not documented.

Mary Ann Reynolds, a retired Merced teacher, also spoke in favor of the declaration. “Our migrant families here in the city of Merced are very afraid,” she said.

Merced police are stretched thin and it is not department policy for officers to look into the residency of anyone in Merced, according to Mayor Mike Murphy.

Noting that the sanctuary label is symbolic, Councilman Kevin Blake, who also works as a Merced County sheriff’s sergeant, said the city would do better to try to educate residents about how immigration enforcement works.

“Local law enforcement doesn’t round up illegal immigrants and have them deported,” he said. “They don’t have the authority to.”

Supporters of the sanctuary label said it’s important to try to calm the fears of people without documents regardless of whether the label is symbolic.

Councilman Anthony Martinez said he’s researched what the designation would mean, adding that cities can tailor it to fit their needs. “I see it as a great opportunity to build a bridge between our citizens and various departments of the city,” he said.

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 5:28 PM with the headline "Small group pushes leaders to declare Merced a ‘sanctuary city’."