In the face of the incoming Trump administration, on January 21st, 2025 the Berkeley City Council will vote to adopt a Resolution Reaffirming Berkeley as a Sanctuary City. The resolution was drafted by Council Member Brent Blackaby in collaboration with East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, Council Member Cecilia Lunaparra, Mayor Adena Ishii, Council Member Terry Taplin, members of the Peace and Justice Commission, and representatives from faith communities and other community-based organizations.
The proposed resolution outlines Berkeley’s legacy as a Sanctuary City and highlights updates to its policies in response to evolving challenges, including ICE raids, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and federal deportation threats. The resolution:
- Prohibits the use of city resources for immigration enforcement activities, such as sharing immigration status or collaborating with federal agents, and directs all city directors to inform their staff of these policies.
- Refers to the City Attorney to explore the possibility of pledging the City’s legal support to help “sensitive sites” such as schools, hospitals, community organizations, public transportation, and places of worship to protect their community members and defend themselves against civil litigation.
- Calls on the Mayor to create a taskforce of Council Members and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to continually assess threats to Berkeley’s immigrant communities and seek to codify Berkeley’s Sanctuary protections through a city ordinance.
- Calls for the passage of SB 48 to Keep Immigration and Customs Enforcement Off of School Campuses, Protecting School Attendance and Funding Amid Deportation Threats.
- Urges regional collaboration to ensure sanctuary protections and calls on other cities to reaffirm similar commitments.
We encourage all Berkeley residents, especially immigrant communities and those directly impacted by the Trump administration’s threats, to please call your Berkeley city council member to give personal testimony about the importance of protecting Berkeley residents by reaffirming the City’s commitment to Sanctuary.
We also invite you to show your support for this resolution by attending the Berkeley City Council meeting on January 21st at 1231 Addison Street Berkeley, CA 94702. We are planning a press conference and celebration at 5:30 pm and the City Council meeting will start at 6 pm.
Finally, we are seeking immigrant community members who would like to share their testimony of support at the City Council meeting and/or press conference. Please email organizing@eastbaysanctuary.org or call Marisa at 916-412-3027 to confirm your participation.
Please feel free to share this letter with other Berkeley-based organizations who may be interested in participating in affirming Berkeley’s commitment to Sanctuary.
Thank you for your support!
Lisa Hoffman on behalf of East Bay Sanctuary Covenant
Supported by La Peña Cultural Center