The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors didn’t exactly throw the gauntlet down when it comes to President-elect Donald Trump’s vow to implement mass deportations, but the supervisors did vote unanimously on Tuesday in favor of a resolution expressing support for immigrants and migrants living within county borders.
“What we’re up against right now is fear,” stated Supervisor Laura Capps, who led the charge in favor of the motion. While Trump was never mentioned by name — nor was his deportation vow — the resolution cited, “a highly charged atmosphere driven by national politics,” concluding, “It is all the more imperative to reduce the fear that is being felt locally throughout our county.”
Capps expressed concern that low-income families that are, in fact, eligible for various forms of county assistance might not show up for medical appointments or might not seek to use their food stamps for fear they might be deported.
The resolution noted that a statewide law passed in 2017 — shortly after Trump was first elected president — barred local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal immigration officials. The supervisors will publicly review the number of immigrants held in the county jail and the level of interaction and cooperation between the county jail and immigration authorities at a supervisors meeting scheduled for December 17.
In closing, Capps stressed the need to communicate clear and accurate information between now and January 20, when Trump is scheduled to take the oath of office. Schools, hospitals, and churches, she stated, have been designated safe havens.
