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Long Beach Police Chief Luna Reveals "LB Values Act" (Council-Enacted Policies Mirror SB 54/"Sanctuary State" Law) Has Caused City To "Pause" Seeking Some Fed'l Grants; Councilwoman Price (Who Voted For Policies) Says Having Cops On Street More Important Than "Sending A Message"; Mayor And Other Supporters Remain Mum


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(Aug. 15, 2018) -- During an April 14 Council agenda item on the proposed FY19 budget, Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna revealed that the City Council's March 2018 approval (6-2, Supernaw. Mungo dissenting, Austin absent) of the "Long Beach Values Act" -- policies prohibiting multiple LB city government departments beyond LBPD from sharing SB 54's ("sanctuary state") type information with federal immigration authorities -- has caused the City to "pause" applying for certain federal grants due to the federal requirement [enforced under the Trump administration] that grant applicants agree to cooperate with fed'l immigration enforcement.

Councilwoman Suzie Price (who was among Council majority that voted for the "LB Values Act") said that as a matter of principle and as matter of her fiduciary duty, "having more police officers on the street and having the resources to be able to fund that is more important to me than sending a message".

She said if the Chief feels grant funds will be affected by a policy we're [the City Council] is setting, she wants to know that. She added that hopefully "there is some wisdom at the highest level" that realizes the City shouldn't be punished.

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The March 13, 2018 Council majority approved "Long Beach Values Act" states that it will "prohibit the requesting, collecting, maintaining, or disclosing of 'sensitive information,' including but not limited to one's citizen or immigration status, absent certain circumstances, and apply this prohibition, and the State-mandated prohibitions related to enforcement of federal immigration law, to all City Manager departments, including but not limited to Police, Fire, Financial Management, Development Services, and Health & Human Services."

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The March 2018 Council vote stemmed from a September 19, 2017 Council vote (7-1, Mungo voting "no," Supernaw exiting prior to the item) directing city staff to draft a resolution titled the "Long Beach Values Act of 2017" that would affirm "the City's commitment to" SB 54 and SB 31. (The Council did that in a "consent calendar item approved without further discussion on Oct. 3, 2017.)

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President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Sessions have denounced SB 54 and "sanctuary city" policies, and earlier this year the U.S. Justice Dept. filed suit seeking to invalidate SB 54.

Long Beach City Hall's confrontational stance toward the Trump administration's immigration policies began on Feb. 7, 2017 -- the first Council meeting day after President Trump was sworn into office. An item co-agendized by Councilmembers Lena Gonzalez, Jeannine Pearce, Roberto Uranga and Vice Mayor Rex Richardson (titled "Support for State Legislation protecting Long Beach's diverse communities") sought Council support for SB 54 (the "CA Values Act" colloquially known as the "statewide sanctuary" bill) and SB 31 (the "CA Religious Freedom Act") [both of which were enacted in 2017.] The four agendizing Councilmembers wrote in part, "Given the caustic directives being issued by our nation's newly elected President, it is important the City of Long Beach is clear on where we stand. Long Beach is a safe and welcoming City. We will protect the safety and well-being of all Californians by ensuring State and local resources are not used to support deportations, separate families, and ultimately hurt California's economy..."

The Feb. 7, 2017 Council item carried on a 7-0 vote (Andrews and Mungo absent, with Mungo vanishing on the vote and re-appearing a few minutes later.

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