At the tail end of last night’s five-hour meeting, the Eureka City Council unanimously passed a “sanctuary city” resolution to protect undocumented immigrants living in the city. 

The resolution — linked here — bars the city from using its resources for immigration enforcement and prohibits the Eureka Police Department from sharing immigration-related information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “unless required by federal or state law.” The resolution does not prevent enforcement against people convicted of serious and violent crimes.

Speaking at last night’s meeting, City Attorney Autumn Luna said the resolution adheres to state law and “shares a lot of commonalities” with sanctuary policies adopted by the County of Humboldt and the City of Arcata. She also acknowledged the nationwide crackdown on federal immigration enforcement and recent efforts by the Trump administration to defund communities that refuse to comply with federal immigration officials.

“[T]hese issues are being litigated currently, and there has been no judgment from any court that would prevent the city from taking the action today. I just want to be clear about that,” Luna said, adding that she and her staff will continue to monitor the situation. “[N]othing about this policy prevents enforcement against folks who have committed crimes. This is about civil federal immigration policy and the city’s directive that we not use city resources to assist in civil federal immigration policy enforcement. I think that’s a really important distinction.”

Turning to questions from the council, Councilmember Kati Moulton asked EPD Chief Brian Stephens if he thought the resolution would make Eureka less safe. 

Stephens

“I don’t believe the resolution will change the way the community members will feel — definitely not feel unsafe,” Stephens said. “It’s our mission to continue to serve the community no matter whether the resolution is in place or not. … Nothing has changed [in] the way the Eureka Police Department serves our community. We’re open to anyone that’s victimized to come forward, and we’ll take care of them and do all we can to solve their crime.” 

Stephens also shared a brief statement emphasizing his department’s “ongoing mission” to foster trust between residents and law enforcement and ensure “that everyone feels safe to seek help with crimes, regardless of immigration status, background or circumstance.”

More than three dozen people spoke during the hour-long public comment portion of the meeting. Eureka resident Carmen Elena, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico, called on the city council to “push back against the systems that seek to divide and dehumanize us.”

“Let’s be honest about why so many immigrants are here in the first place,” Elena said. “Many have fled violence, economic destabilization, political upheaval [and] conditions created or worsened by U.S. foreign policies. From military interventions to trade agreements that have gutted local economies, our government has played a direct role in forcing people to leave their countries of origin. And yet, when they arrive here seeking safety, they are often met with detention, deportation, hostility, or are merely welcomed as a surplus disposable labor force.”

Brenda Perez, executive director of Centro del Pueblo, praised the city council for considering the resolution, noting that the sanctuary city movement is a way to “repair historical mistakes.”

“My hope with this resolution … is that the local law enforcement [will] stop the racial profiling,” Perez said. “[I]t is time that we are equal in front of the law. It is time for the cities, for every institution [to] treat us as equals. … I will say that for the first time since I migrated here, I feel like ‘We the people’ is real. We all — immigrants, citizens, documented and undocumented — we are all the same in front of a sanctuary status.”

Several other speakers drew comparisons between U.S. immigration policies and Nazi Germany. Eureka resident Peter Pennekamp said his father came to the U.S. as a political refugee after his “whole family died in Auschwitz.” He added that current policies make it extremely difficult for people to immigrate to the United States. 

Pennekamp

“We do not make it easy for people to come here. Everyone has to fight for it, [and] they don’t get treated well,” Pennekamp said. “This is a rough place to land. … Anything we can do that provides us comfort, that gives people the message that they count and that this country actually has an ideal or two that’s left alive — it’s going to be found in places like this. I commend you for looking at this and I stand totally behind [you].”

Eureka resident Cornelius Loewenstein, a first generation immigrant, also shared his family’s story of fleeing Nazi Germany, but had a much different stance on U.S. immigration policies. Loewenstein said he stands for immigration “as long as it’s legal” and advocated for increased enforcement.

“Why should I jump through all the rules?” he asked, beating his fist on the podium. “Why should I have to wait my turn? … It is shameful to even consider to break federal immigration law, and I hope that [ICE] comes after you. I hope that [border czar Tom] Homan comes after you. … I hope you will be held accountable for being the anti-American pieces of filth that you are, dirty communists.”

Eureka resident Stephen Parr also spoke against the resolution, accusing the council of virtue-signaling. He falsely claimed that the only people at risk of deportation are illegal immigrants who’ve committed crimes. “The only people they’re talking about deporting are the people that have committed further crimes, and if you want to support them, then go to hell,” Parr said.

(To be clear, anyone without legal status could be subject to arrest or deportation. While the Trump administration has targeted people with criminal convictions, thousands of others have been arrested. An article recently published in ProPublica states that “less than half of the approximately 8,200 people arrested from Jan. 20 through Feb. 2 so far have criminal convictions.”)

Fernandez

Following public comment, Councilmember G. Mario Fernandez made a motion to adopt the resolution and declare Eureka a sanctuary city. The action was seconded by Councilmember Moulton. 

Fernandez also disputed a previous commenter’s assertion that undocumented people are soaking off the government. “These are people who willingly work and contribute without reaping much — if any — benefits other than the hopeful feelings that they have of safety and community.” 

Addressing Parr’s accusation of “virtue-signaling,” Councilmember Moulton rhetorically asked why “displaying your ideals and principles is somehow a bad thing.”

Moulton

“The virtues that I would like to signal right now are compassion and community,” she continued. “I would like to communicate to all members of our community that they are valued [and] they deserve equal access to opportunity and equal protection under the law. I’m grateful that you’re here, grateful that we’re here with you and grateful that my human family is so big and diverse.”

Councilmember Leslie Castellano joined the chorus in underscoring her support for the resolution and thanked Chief Stephens for continuing to build trust with all residents. She also encouraged the city manager to collaborate with local rapid response networks to combat misinformation surrounding ICE activity in the city. 

Councilmember Renee Contreras-DeLoach talked about her family’s roots in Mexico and how immigration policies have flip-flopped over the years “based on the values [of] the elected leaders of those times.” She shared an emotional story about an unexpected ICE raid that occurred during her time as an elected official in Utah in the early 2000s.

“They had gone to a factory and just rounded people up, and it stuck with me,” she said, her voice wavering with emotion. “It’s something that I’m never going to forget. There were children on porches sitting, waiting for parents that didn’t show up, and there were children at school who were waiting who didn’t get picked up. I never want to contribute in any way, shape or form to something like that happening to anybody in our community.”

Councilmember Scott Bauer also spoke in favor of the resolution, quoting from the inscription on the Statue of Liberty’s tablet that reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

“That’s the value that we’re talking about here, right? We believe that,” he said. “And I think about people who say you should [immigrate] legally. I want to say to them, ‘What would you do for your … family to make them safe, to provide for them, to make them hope for a better life?’ … You know what you would do. You would do whatever it takes.”

Mayor Kim Bergel also shared an emotional story about one of her students who feared their parents would be deported. “He said, ‘My parents won’t leave the house,’ and I felt so upset about that because what can I do? Not a heck of a lot,” she said.  “But tonight, I’m proud and honored to be here with all of you and to be able to go to school tomorrow and say, ‘Hey, guess what? This is what our council … community came together to make happen.’”

The council approved the resolution in a unanimous 5-0 vote.

###

What else happened at last night’s meeting? Check back tomorrow for more coverage!