City at risk of losing federal funding
On Thursday, May 29, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) named cities and counties in more than 30 states, including Alameda, as sanctuary jurisdictions it could pursue for “obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws.” On Saturday, the City responded by issuing a statement on social media indicating that DHS was incorrect in its assessment. By Sunday, June 1, DHS removed the list from its website after receiving criticism from across the political spectrum. However, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, without acknowledging that the list had been taken offline, said the Department would continue to use the sanctuary tally. The City of Alameda may be at risk of losing federal funding.
Alameda as a Sanctuary City
Alameda has been a Sanctuary City since 2017, when City Council adopted a resolution affirming the City’s commitment “to the values of dignity, inclusivity, and respect for all individuals, regardless of ethnic or national origin, gender, race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, or immigration status.”
The City’s website further affirms that the “City will not use any of its resources or staffing (including police staff) to participate in or support enforcement of federal immigration law. The City does not hold individuals in custody based on their civil immigration status unless the person is charged with certain serious offenses or is a sex- or arson-registrant. The City continues to cooperate (with) the federal government on matters involving criminal activity and protecting public safety and will continue to abide by lawful court orders.”
The President’s Executive Order
On April 28, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order, “Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens,” blaming the Biden Administration for allowing “unchecked millions of aliens to illegally enter the United States” and arguing that this “invasion at the southern border” required federal action. The order called on the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to “publish a list of states and local jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws (sanctuary jurisdictions)” within 30 days.
The list, published on May 29, prompted a response from the National Sheriff’s Association, which generally supports federal immigration enforcement. Sheriff Kieran Donahue, president of the association, said in a statement that the list was created without input from sheriffs and “violated the core principles of trust, cooperation, and partnership with fellow law enforcement.”
Communities across the political spectrum also pushed back, with some of the most enthusiastic supporters of the White House wondering how their cities wound up on the list. Other communities supportive of immigrants said their policies ensure that anyone who is a victim or witness can feel comfortable coming forward to report a crime.
Consequences for Alameda
Secretary Noem’s press release says, “Each jurisdiction listed will receive formal notification of its non-compliance and all potential violations of federal criminal statutes.” Sarah Henry, the City of Alameda’s Public Information Officer, reports that, to date, the City has not received notification from DHS beyond what was posted online.
When asked why the City believes that the DHS is incorrect in its assessment of Alameda, she replied, “Consistent with the United States and the California constitutions and the California Values Act (Senate Bill 54), the City of Alameda is not responsible for enforcing federal immigration law.” She added that Alameda “is not obstructing federal enforcement of such laws.”
President Trump has threatened to pull federal funding and pursue lawsuits against places that don’t change their practices. Henry noted that the City has conducted a thorough review of its current and pending federal grants, identifying programs potentially at higher risk if federal grant funds are eliminated. These include funding for firefighters to attend paramedic school, services for seniors, and partnerships with community service organizations.
The City has already lost federal funding since the start of this administration. The City has interns working on climate adaptation, public art, and human services projects through the CivicSpark program, which recently lost its AmeriCorps funding when the Trump administration canceled nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps grants. AmeriCorps is the federal agency that supports national service projects and volunteerism. Henry reports that the City has fortunately found other funds to allow the interns to complete their service.
In addition, the City had applied for a $50 million FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) grant to initiate work on time-sensitive sea-level rise adaptation projects along Alameda’s shoreline. Henry noted that since the president took office, the BRIC program has been eliminated, so the City is unlikely to receive that funding.
Immigrant demographics
The Council on Foreign Relations reports that the United States is home to more foreign-born residents than any other country in the world, with immigrants comprising almost 14 percent of the U.S. population as of 2022. Further, a 2022 UC Merced Community and Labor Center study reported that undocumented workers comprise a significant share of California’s workers, with over one million workers, or 6% of the workforce, being undocumented.
The study reports that undocumented workers play a key role in California’s economy, filling one in 16 jobs. Undocumented and non-citizen workers are especially represented in the manufacturing, food services, construction, retail trade, and agriculture industries, as well as in professional and scientific professions.
Despite immigration being a touchstone of U.S. political debate for decades, Congress has continued to disagree on comprehensive immigration reform, effectively shifting major policy decisions to the executive and judicial branches of government. It has been a signature issue for President Trump.
The federal government is generally responsible for enforcing immigration laws, but it delegates some immigration-related duties to state and local law enforcement. The degree to which local officials are obliged to cooperate with federal authorities is a subject of intense debate. Dozens of counties across 13 states, including Alameda, are home to sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with immigration enforcement.
There has also been intense debate on the degree to which illegal immigrants contribute to crime, with recent stories capturing headlines of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) apprehending immigrants alleged to be criminals. However, a recent study by Stanford’s Institute for Economic Policy Research also revealed that first-generation immigrants have not been more likely to be imprisoned than people born in the U.S. since 1880. The study found that immigrants are 30% less likely to be incarcerated than are U.S.-born individuals who are white.
Looking forward
In her press release, Secretary Noem stated that DHS is demanding that jurisdictions on the list “immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws.” Alameda’s Sarah Henry responded, “While the City regularly reviews and revises its policies to address ongoing community needs, at this time, we believe the City’s policies in this area are fully consistent with all applicable federal and state laws.”
Looking forward, Henry said, “We are unable to predict (the) actions of the federal administration, but the City remains confident that it is acting in full compliance with all applicable federal and state laws.” The City’s official social media statement noted that “Alameda is committed to the values of dignity, inclusivity, and respect for all.”
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen.
