Increasing ICE raids have been prompting scores of people to show up to city councils throughout Orange County in an effort to push elected officials to roll out immigrant aid networks and notification systems.
Now, Garden Grove City Council members hinted that they could consider some type of programs for people impacted by the immigration raids, similar to efforts in Santa Ana and Anaheim.
[Read: As ICE Raids Continue in OC, Santa Ana Creates $100,000 Aid Fund for Impacted]
Roughly 40 people showed up to Tuesday night’s Garden Grove City Council meeting to push for an aid network and notification system.
“As each day passes, we are seeing more and more instances of families being cruelly kidnapped from the streets. Our elderlies are being violently tackled to the ground,” said resident Julie Nguyen at the meeting, adding ICE isn’t targeting criminals.
“We understand that we cannot stop these ICE agents from doing what they’re doing, but we, the people, are trying our best to protect innocent families, and all we demand from the City Council is to ensure transparency, accountability and identification from law enforcement.”
The city has received over 30 courtesy calls from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security between January 26 and June 17, according to a public records request published on the city’s website.
What Will Garden Grove Officials Do?
Some Garden Grove City Council members said they’d like to have a thorough discussion about the issue – including any legal liabilities – before pitching any policy ideas.
City Councilman Joe DoVinh, a Vietnamese immigrant who described himself as an advocate for immigrant rights and a centrist, said he wants a thorough discussion on the ICE raids and potential policies the city could implement.
“We need to hear each other out and be fair to each other. So when I hear repeatedly,
are you going to be on the right side of history? Well, Joe DoVinh wants to be on the left side of history too,” he said.
“I am opposed to criminalizing immigrants. I’m opposed to criminalizing immigration,
but I’m for removal of criminal felons from our communities, there’s a difference.”
At the same time, DoVinh acknowledged the fear in the community but said they have to obey the law.
“We’re hurt, and we don’t want this to continue. The fear is very real but we don’t need to be hysterical about it. There’s a path forward. There will be clarity, there will be transparency.
We’re not taking this laying down, but we have to respect the law of the land,” he said.
“We can’t issue ordinances that is in conflict with our state and government authorities at the federal level, but we can issue resolutions.”
City Councilman Phillip Nguyen also said the city has to abide by state and federal laws.
City Councilwoman Ariana Arestegui said before she would propose any policies, she wants to do her due diligence and consult with the city attorney and other officials on what they can do.
“So many people in our community are directly affected by this issue,” she said.
“I’m not one to foment the flames of false hope or want to mislead the community by proposing things without doing my proper research first, I think that that’s irresponsible and negligent.”
City Councilwoman Yesenia Muñeton said she will continue to support the community as much as she can but major policy decisions in response to the ICE raids need a council majority vote.
“If there are any council members who are interested in serious conversations, my door is open to having these conversations,” she said.
City Councilman George Brietigam said the best venue for the information and support residents are seeking is not at the local level.
“It’s actually probably with your state or federal officials. They can actually have standing to do stuff,” he said.
Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein said residents’ concerns were heard Tuesday night.
“We have a lot to process and think about,” she said. “Through education and collaboration, I know we can move forward through this together.”
Councilwoman Cindy Ngoc Tran left the meeting early.
Sounding Off on ICE Raids Near Little Saigon
For about an hour and a half, residents on Tuesday called for city officials to alert the community about ICE raids, demand federal immigration agents to clearly identify themselves and connect residents impacted to resources.
Many voiced concerns about street vendors and other working residents being taken by masked federal agents and demanded city leaders help protect people in a city that encompasses part of Little Saigon.
“We need the city to create public resource hubs with legal support, know your rights information and when possible, updates on local detentions,” said resident Patricia Zavala on Tuesday.
“The city must act, and we need transparency. We call on the city to disclose how our police department shares information with ICE. We deserve to know what’s being done in our name.”
Two residents spoke out against the idea of a resource page and aid network, with one worrying about attracting attention from the federal government and losing critical funding.
Tony Flores, the other resident, urged the council to follow immigration law and not obstruct immigration raids.
“The law is the law,” he said Tuesday. “We would just like you folks to comply with the law and mind yourselves. Don’t bend over to fear mongering. In the meantime, God bless President Trump, ICE.”
Other residents booed Flores’ comments and afterwards Klopfenstein called for a five minute recess.
A handful of speakers said the relief efforts have been spearheaded by the community – something happening throughout Orange County.
[Read: ICE Raids Spur Aid Network in Orange County]
Resident Crystal Cervantes said the community has stepped up to host food drives because families are too scared to leave their homes and be swept up in an ICE raid.
“We’re asking, what is the city of Garden Grove doing to help our residents?” she said.
“Let’s create a resource page on our city website for our families in need, and please make resources available for our undocumented families who are in fear. They’re facing food insecurity and loss of housing. We are not asking for the city to go against the federal government. We’re just asking for our police to protect and serve. We’re asking for our city to help our residents.”
DoVinh said sometimes elected officials lead from behind.
“You expect us to be the courageous lion, but sometimes we’re the scarecrow,” he said
In Garden Grove, about 49% of residents or roughly 84,000 people are foreign born. Of that, about 31,000 of residents are not U.S. citizens and 53,000 are naturalized citizens, according to the census.
Over 42% of the population in Garden Grove is Asian and 37% is Latino.
Community Efforts in Garden Grove
Garden Grove Unified School District has launched a helpline amid the immigration raids to assist and connect families impacted by the sweeps to legal, food and mental health resources.
The school district has also launched a resource page on their website.
Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, Klopfenstein, Arestegui and Muñeton wrote a letter to Congressman Derek Tran asking for transparency on the raids as well as resources to reassure residents and help them get food.
“This uncertainty is creating ripple effects. Many residents are afraid to leave, and we’re already seeing signs of food insecurity and reduced use of public services,” reads the July 3 letter posted on Muñeton’s and Arestegui’s instagram accounts.
“If your office is aware of any federal programs or partnerships that could assist with food distribution or public reassurance, your support would be invaluable.”
Tran – a Democrat who represents Little Saigon and won one of the country’s tightest congressional races last year – has faced some backlash from community groups like VietRise for his support of the Laken Riley Act.
The federal law requires the detention of undocumented immigrants accused of violent crimes, but critics worry it will strip immigrants of their rights for due process.
Arestegui said the letter was a last-minute effort and wasn’t shared with all of the council members.
DoVinh said Tuesday night that he supported the letter.
“You don’t need me to sign on to it, but I’m orally signing on to it tonight,” he said. “With a caveat that we should have a more inclusive discussion.”
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @ElattarHosam.