| (Feb. 4, 2017, 6:35 a.m.) -- More than a hundred Long Beach residents rallied outside City Hall on Tuesday Jan. 31 to demonstrate their opposition to President Donald J. Trump's Executive Orders directed at sanctuary cities and temporarily banning immigrants from the mostly-Muslim countries of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Clergy and Laity for Economic Justice (CLUE) organized the rally and issued a statement on its website declaring that the group "reiterates our fervent belief that this country must be a haven for those escaping violence and crushing poverty." [Scroll down for further.] |
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The President's Executive Order regarding sanctuary cities states that many illegal immigrants are a "significant threat to national security and public safety" and "(s)anctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law." It states that such cites not complying with Federal law will not receive Federal funds except for funds necessary for law enforcement, that 10,000 additional immigration officers will be hired and that the executive branch will "empower State and local law enforcement agencies across the country to perform the functions of an immigration officer." The President's Executive Order implementing the temporary ban states that "State Department policy prevented consular officers from properly scrutinizing the visa applications of several of the 19 foreign nationals who went on to murder nearly 3,000 Americans" on Sept 11, 2001 and that "(n)umerous foreign-born individuals have been convicted or implicated in terrorism-related crimes since September 11, 2001, including foreign nationals who entered the United States after receiving visitor, student, or employment visas, or who entered through the United States refugee resettlement program."
Near the end of his remarks he said, "We now ask Long Beach City leaders to not be threatened and rise as well by declaring Long Beach a Sanctuary City and committing to be on the front lines of resistance." Photo by Barry Saks
Photo by Barry Saks Other Long Beach clergy who spoke included Pastor Gregory Sanders of The Rock Christian Fellowship, Pastor Melinda Teter Dodge of the Los Altos United Methodist Church, Rabbi Emeritus Howard O. Laibson of Shir Chadash Congregation, Rev. Leon Wood of the North Long Beach Community Prayer Center and the Executive Director of the South Coast Interfaith Council, Milia Islam-Majeed.
Besides the faith-based community, three of Long Beach's nine City Councilmembers attended. 7th dist. Councilman Roberto Uranga said, "We are being morally challenged by our new President...to accept hate verses love." He then led the crowd in the chant, "Love trumps hate." Second District Councilwoman Jeannine Pearce echoed Uranga's views, followed by 1st District Councilwoman Lena Gonzales who said, "I am a daughter of an immigrant." As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, the Long Beach Police Department issued the following statement following President Trump's sanctuary city executive order: [Jan. 25 LBPD statement] Enforcing immigration at the local level undermines the trust and cooperation with immigrant communities, which are essential elements of community oriented policing. Long Beach follows the California TRUST Act, and our current practice is not to hold individuals on immigration violations alone. The Long Beach Police Department supports measures to either continue incarceration or to deport violent and serious offenders who pose a threat to our community. We evaluate our policies and procedures as any new legislation is enacted, but it would be premature to speculate on any changes, at this time. City management departments (including LBPD) carry out policies ultimately set by a majority of the City Council.
Representatives of the immigrant community also spoke. Among them was Alicia Morales, who represents the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition. Ms. Morales, who is currently covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, said that because she is undocumented she understands the fears the undocumented face. She then said, with her voice quivering, "When you have the highest power in the country threatening your livelihood, threatening your humanity, threatening your dignity, it makes it very difficult to continually wake up in the morning…. We cannot allow this administration to relegate people to cages, to jail and to imprisonment. We cannot let this administration determine who is deserving and who is not deserving because we are all deserving of a better life."
Ms. Cababa, a long-time Long Beach resident, said almost 30,000 Filipino immigrants live in Long Beach and led the crowd in chanting, "Sanctuary, not deportation." Photo by Barry Saks Many of those who rallied came from the faith-based community. Carol Quinlan, who is from the Unitarian Church of Long Beach, estimated about 20 members of her church were present (wearing distinctive yellow shirts.) Ms. Quinlan said, "We are standing here on the side of love." Another person who rallied was long-time Long Beach resident Julie Baker. Baker, who identified herself as a member of the North Long Beach Christian Church said she was there in solidarity. A third person at the rally was Reina Mansilla, 62 and attends the St. Luke's Episcopal Church, said there were more than ten people from her church at the rally. Mansilla, who was originally from Guatemala, said she was at the rally because immigrants need to have rights."
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Outside Long Beach City Hall, the Rev. Ricardo Avila of St. Luke's Episcopal Church emceed (photo right). In his opening remarks to a round of applause, Reverend Avila said his church last week had voted to become a "Sanctuary Parish."
The Rev. Noel Andersen (photo right) of the Church World Service and a leader of the national sanctuary movement, said that since the Presidential election the national sanctuary movement has grown from 400 to 800 congregations.
Another speaker representing the immigrant community was Nikole Cababa from the Filipino Migrant Center (photo right).
