Common Sense Resolution Reaffirms Immigrants as Welcomed and Vital to San Gabriel Community
"As a lifelong resident, I am proud to call San Gabriel my home," said community leader and resident, Paul Cole Padilla. "I am heartened that the San Gabriel City Council reaffirmed our American, California, and San Gabriel values of 'liberty and justice for all.' San Gabriel showed the world last night that it is truly a 'shining city on a hill.'"
In passing a safe city resolution, the City of San Gabriel joins a growing group of jurisdictions nationwide, including the State of California, that have been taking active measures to protect their communities against ICE and the Trump Administration’s deportation machine. Further, the resolution reaffirms the City’s commitment to protecting its diverse residents, home to a large Asian (48.9 percent) and Latino (30.4 percent) immigrant community.
“This resolution will ensure that our city of immigrants will continue to thrive and live without fear,” said Jason Pu, City of San Gabriel Council Member. “We value our diverse community and will continue to uphold our commitment to serving and protecting all people in our city regardless of their immigration status.”
“By joining other cities across Southern California that have passed pro-immigrant resolutions, the San Gabriel City Council is standing on the right side of history and showing that it values the contributions of its immigrant communities,” said Shiu-Ming Cheer, Senior Staff Attorney with the National Immigration Law Center.
A broad coalition of community, advocacy, civil rights, and labor groups showed their support for the safe city resolution at the city council meeting, including Advancing Justice-LA, California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC), LA Voice,National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), National Immigration Law Center (NILC), San Gabriel Valley-Immigrant Youth Coalition (SGV-IYC), San Gabriel Valley Progressive Alliance, and the ICE out of LA Coalition.
“The San Gabriel city council’s decision to pass the Safe City resolution is an important step in the direction of inclusion and compassion," said Carlos Amador, Organizing Director at California Immigrant Policy Center. "This resolution sends a message to the immigrant community that lives, works, and does business in the city. The city’s action serves as a counterweight to attempts by a vocal fringe of anti-immigrant forces to undermine protections for immigrants. I call on other cities in the county of Los Angeles and beyond to pass strong ordinances that uphold due process for everyone, including immigrants, and expand protections for the most vulnerable in our communities.”
“We thank Council Members Pu, Liao, and Menchaca who voted to pass the safe city resolution,” said Marvin Andrade, Senior Manager of Coalition Building at Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA). “Despite the Trump Administration’s attacks on sanctuary policies, we applaud the City of San Gabriel for continuing to stand up for its diverse immigrant community.”
