Jonathan Capehart speaks to how Biden looked out for ALL of us. The oligarchy and dictatorship ahead will only benefit the new/old president and those close to him. Remember the goodness of Biden and resist the evil of Trump.

San Jose, Calif., City Council unanimously resolves to protect undocumented residents (News, 2/7/25)

LINK SAN JOSE, Calif.—With the inauguration of President Donald Trump, a new wave of raids conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency swept immigrant communities across the Bay Area, prompting local leaders to take action in defense of residents. On Jan. 26, ICE raided a plaza on King Road and Story Road, which is a well-known Latino/a cultural landmark. It spurred significant protests to denounce the raid throughout the week. Most notably, on Feb. 3, over 500 individuals protested ICE’s presence in the city. On Feb. 4, the San Jose City Council unanimously approved a resolution authored by Councilmembers Peter Ortiz, Pamela Campos, Domingo Candelas, and David Cohen affirming the city’s commitment to preserving the safety and dignity of all its residents, regardless of national origin or immigration status. With the passage of the resolution, the city upheld its historic role in protecting and fostering its diverse community. Hundreds of residents turned out on a rainy Tuesday afternoon to provide public comment in support of the resolution, representing community organizations like the San Jose Peace and Justice Center, the Rapid Response Network, and the Silicon Valley Immigration Committee, in addition to the many others who attended individually as workers, business owners, religious leaders, and residents to express concerned for their undocumented neighbors and provide public comments in support of the resolution. Alysa Aujero, a substitute teacher for San Jose Unified, delivered a passionate comment in support of her undocumented students. “We vow to remind our students that we love them, that they all belong here, that this is a safe place and we want all our students to thrive […] Teachers and school staff are one part of our community. It requires y’all in charge to keep them safe. It’s a community responsibility to keep our people safe.” City Councilmembers also touted their records in support. Vice Mayor Pam Foley and Council member David Cohen recalled their time on the school board in 2016 during Trump’s first presidency protecting confidential student records from immigration authorities. In particular, Cohen drafted and approved northern California’s first resolution to the Berryessa School Board promising non-cooperation with ICE. He also stressed the importance of institutional trust between the community and the city. Councilmembers Domingo Candelas and Bien Doan recalled their own histories with immigration. Candelas’s mother had been undocumented for a significant part of her life and currently holds the strongest voting record of her family. Doan fled war in Vietnam in the 1970s and experienced discrimination during his time in the States, which he alluded to as his reason for supporting the resolution. Mayor Matt Mahan noted the contributions of immigrants to the economic life of San Jose, who make up 40% of the city’s population. Three-quarters of those immigrants have been in the city for longer than a decade, and 70% are part of the workforce in San Jose. He also noted that of 60,000 small businesses, around half are owned by immigrants. Of course, immigrants are more than just their economic contributions, and Mahan reaffirmed the city’s position as a moral stance in favor of protecting diversity. Mahan also committed to supporting the Rapid Response Network and making “Know Your Rights” resources available at all community centers. The mayor also questioned San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph, asking him to clarify the role of law enforcement in ICE raids. According to Joseph, the police department will neither cooperate with ICE nor detain residents on issues specific to immigration. However, in accordance with sanctuary state policy, the police department will not be able to interfere in ICE raids and will continue to execute arrest warrants for other crimes, regardless of immigration status. San Jose is no stranger to protecting its immigrant community, as documented by the authors of the resolution. The city has passed four similar resolutions in the past: Resolution 75401 (6/8/2010): The city will not detain persons solely for suspicion of having unlawful resident status in the United States, and the City will serve all residents without reporting any otherwise law-abiding persons to federal immigration officials unless otherwise required by federal law, court decision or other legal requirement. Resolution 78788 (9/18/2018): Denouncing the U.S. Department of Justice’s Zero Tolerance Policy that resulted in the inhumane separation of families, and called for the immediate reunification of existing separated families. Resolution 79013 (3/19/2019): Denouncing the attempted deportation of Vietnamese refugees and immigrants who arrived in the United States prior to 1995, and acknowledging the rights of refugees and asylum seekers to pursue sanctuary and avoid the endangerment that may accompany a forced return to their country of origin. Resolution 79473 (4/14/2020): Monitor, protect, and defend the confidentiality of resident information provided to the Federal Government through the 2020 Census from breach and misuse, and to support outreach activities to ensure a complete count and broad participation in the Census as a way to guarantee that marginalized and hard-to-count communities participate in the Census without fear. In the face of increased raids by the Trump administration, it seems the residents of San Jose can count on their local institutions will continue to serve them regardless of immigration status. We hope you appreciated this article. 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