October 5, 2017

Photo by Justin Henry (CC BY 2.0)

The California State Assembly passed a resolution making the state of California a ‘sanctuary state.’ The resolution will bar state law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration law with regards to undocumented people.  

We applaud California Governor Jerry Brown’s decision to sign SB 54, which shows his fierce dedication to making California a home for immigrants. The plight of undocumented immigrants is only becoming more difficult as President Trump continues to create policies that limit opportunities for our nation.

In an effort to work with and support immigration coalitions, MPAC has signed on to SB 54 and made the sanctuary movement a priority policy issue over the past year. As a result of an increase in ICE crackdowns of undocumented immigrants, we drafted a resolution that urged city councils and school boards to adopt and practice sanctuary-friendly policies. At our 2016 convention, we incorporated the sanctuary movement as part of our program by urging attendees to take action locally. We spoke at multiple press conferences along with religious leaders to advocate for the sanctuary movement and encouraged houses of worship to join. This year, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti asked MPAC to convene a meeting regarding SB 54 and LA County Sheriff McDonnell’s position. In partnership with our coalition members, we were able to change Sheriff McDonnell’s position.

America is a nation of immigrants. SB 54 ensures that law enforcement now has less authority to throw immigrants into the hands of federal immigration authorities. By signing this resolution, we are shifting the paradigm from the criminal lens through which undocumented immigrants are viewed to one of human dignity and opportunity.