January 28, 2025
City Council
DATE: January 28, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Councilmember Claudia Jimenez
Councilmember Doria Robinson (Co-sponsor)
SUBJECT:
Explore providing additional legal protections to
undocumented immigrants who reside in Richmond
FINANCIAL IMPACT: No known financial impact to the City.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
Ordinance No. 29-90 - August 20,1990
Ordinance No. 12-18 - June 5 ,2018
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Richmond City Council seeks to direct the City
Attorney’s Office to review the City’s legislation that protects undocumented immigrants in Richmond, review
legislation and current activity at the federal, state and local levels (other neighboring California cities) and
return with recommendations on ways to provide
additional protections for undocumented immigrants in
line with efforts by the State of California, San Francisco and other local communities.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
DIRECT the City Attorney’s Office to review the City of Richmond’s current legislation protecting undocumented
immigrants and to examine legislation and current activity at the federal, state and local levels in other jurisdictions and to provide recommendations on ways to provide
additional protections for undocumented immigrants in
line with the State of California, San Francisco and other local communities - Vice Mayor Jimenez (510-620-6565).
Council Member Robinson (510-620-6568).
AGENDA
REPORT
January 28, 2025
DISCUSSION:
The City of Richmond is home to persons of diverse racial, ethnic, and national backgrounds, including a large immigrant population. The City of Richmond respects, upholds, and values equal protection and equal treatment for all its residents, regardless of immigration status. Fostering a relationship of trust, respect, and open communication between City employees and City residents is essential to the City's core mission of ensuring public health, safety, and welfare, and serving th e needs of everyone in the community, regardless of immigration status.
As part of this effort, the Richmond City Council adopted Ordinance No. 29 -20 (Attachment 1) and Ordinance No. 12-18 (Attachment 2) that provides protections at the local level to the immigrant community.
Additionally, the State of California is a “sanctuary state,” following the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 54 in 2017. This legislation prohibits state and local law enforcement from using taxpayer funds to enforce federal immigration law, subject to several narrow exceptions. The following counties have passed legislation protecting undocumented immigrants: Alameda, Los Angeles, Monterey and San Francisco. A number of California cities have also passed similar legislation, including Alameda, Berkeley, Davis, Emeryville, Hayward, Oakland, Petaluma, San Jose, Santa Cruz, San Leandro and Santa Rosa.
This agenda item requests the City Attorney’s Office examine the City’s current protections involving undocumented immigrants in Richmond , review current federal laws, SB 54 and related state laws and regulations, and related activity at the state and local levels.
This agenda reports also requests the Council direct the City Attorney’s Office to coordinate with other local agencies that h ave passed legislation protecting undocumented immigrants and return with recommendations of ways to provide additional protections for undocumented immigrants in line with the State of California, San Francisco and other local communities.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Ordinance No. 29-90
Attachment 2 – Ordinance No. 12-18