From: Amber Hatfield
To: City Clerk Dept User
Subject: Public Comments: Agenda item Q.1 Adopt Sanctuary City Ordinance Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2025 11:59:13 AM
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
Good Evening, City Councilmembers:
Thank you for considering the proposed changes to our Sanctuary City Ordinance. These changes will further protect the most vulnerable members of our community who are currently under increasingly aggressive threats from federal immigration policy enforcement. I am proud to reside in a city that actively seeks to adopt anti-racist policy, prohibiting our police department from engaging in the type of racial profiling we are seeing from federal ICE agents across the country. Emboldened by reckless executive orders, ICE agents are violently detaining and terrorizing people of Hispanic, Native American, and Arab ethnicities despite their legal status. No one should be harassed and separated from their families in this way and the time to strengthen local protections is now. We are all in this together.
Thank you,
Amber Hatfield
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
| Race: white | Land: Ohlone
From: Reimagine Richmond
To: Eduardo Martinez; City Clerk Dept User
Subject: Letter of Support for Strengthening Sanctuary City Ordinance Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2025 12:58:54 PM
Attachments: Sign On Letter for Strengthening Sanctuary City Ordinance_March11.pdf This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
Hello Mayor Martinez, City Clerk, and City Council,
We hope you are doing well. Reimagine Richmond would like to share a letter supporting Agenda Item Q.1, which would strengthen our sanctuary city ordinance. This letter reflects the voices of community partners and organizations across Richmond who believe in protecting our immigrant community across Richmond. Please reach out anytime if you have any questions or wish to discuss more.
--
In Community,
RR Organizing Team
www.reimaginerichmond.org
Click here to follow us on Instagram
Eduardo Martinez, Mayor Sue Wilson, Councilmember Jamelia Brown, Councilmember Doria Robinson, Councilmember Cesar Zepeda, Councilmember Claudia Jimenez, Councilmember Soheila Bana, Councilmember Dear Mayor Martinez and City Council, March 11, 2025 We, the undersigned group of 10 community organizations, immigrant’s rights advocacy organizations,
and
community
allies,
are
writing
to
express
our
strong
support
for
Agenda
Item
Q.1,
which
would
strengthen
our
current
Sanctuary
City
Ordinance.
We
believe
that
reinforcing
the
protections
provided
to
immigrants
in
our
community
is
crucial
to
ensuring
that
all
residents,
regardless
of
their
immigration
status,
feel
safe
and
valued.
Our city has long been a beacon of hope for those seeking a better life, and we must continue
to
uphold
policies
that
foster
care
and
compassion
for
all
people.
It
is
important
to
remember
that
our
strength
lies
in
our
diversity.
Immigrants
play
a
crucial
role
in
the
social,
economic,
and
cultural
fabric
of
our
city,
and
we
must
ensure
that
they
have
the
support
and
protection
they
need
to
thrive.
The limitations outlined in subsections (C) through (F) are especially important for several
key
reasons.
First,
by
restricting
Richmond
police
from
providing
information
regarding
individuals’
release
dates
unless
required
by
law,
we
ensure
that
our
local
law
enforcement
is
not
facilitating
deportations.
This
helps
prevent
the
harmful
and
destabilizing
effects
of
separating
families
and
communities.
Moreover,
the
prohibition
on
making
arrests
based
on
civil
immigration
warrants
and
participating
in
immigration
enforcement
activities
(subsections
(D)
and
(E))
helps
ensure
that
our
local
police
officers
focus
on
their
primary
responsibility
of
protecting
public
safety,
not
carrying
out
federal
immigration
policies.
These
policies
often
target
vulnerable
communities
and
can
deter
individuals
from
reporting
crimes
or
seeking
help
when
needed,
fearing
that
their
immigration
status
will
be
used
against
them.
The further limitation on transferring individuals to immigration agents unless authorized by
a
judicial
warrant
or
probable
cause
(subsection
(F))
is
a
key
protection
against
unwarranted
detention
and
deportation.
It
reinforces
the
principle
that
local
law
enforcement
should
not
be
complicit
in
actions
that
violate
individuals'
rights
or
disregard
due
process
protections
under
the
law.
Additionally,
we
strongly
support
the
provision
that
prevents
Richmond
police
officers
from
being
deputized
as
federal
immigration
officers.
Local
officers
should
remain
under
the
jurisdiction
and
supervision
of
the
City
of
Richmond,
ensuring
that
they
adhere
to
local
laws
and
policies
that
prioritize
community
safety
and
civil
rights.
These policies reflect Richmond’s commitment to justice, compassion, and respect for human
rights,
and
they
play
an
important
role
in
uplifting
the
safety
and
well-being
of
all
Richmond
residents.
Thank
you
for
your
time
and
consideration.
Portal Search...
Meeting Date
Agenda Item
Name
Email
Comment
Position
Status
City Council
3/11/2025 3:30 PM Amendments to
the City Council
Rules and
Procedures
Philip Rosenthal philiprosenthal@g
mail.com
Please cure and
remedy the Brown
Act Violation. Many
of us were
dumbfounded on
March 4th when
the City Council
announced that it
had secretly
decided to move
the meetings
forward to 5:00, a
time when the vast
majority of workers
can not attend
meetings because
we are still at work.
Further, by starting
Tuesday March
11th , at 5:00 is
also in violation as
the resolution to
start at 5:00 hasn't
been passed . That
the heck? Really, It
is not as if we can't
read or are unable
to look things up
on the interweb.
See City Council
Rules of Procedure
and Order, Page 4,
II.A.(3) and (4)
Using the Clerk's
Against Appro
3/12/25, 9:25 AM richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment https://richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment 1/9 office to
manipulate the
optics is a mess,
and still falls under
the Brown Act.
Hearing the City
Attorney admit on
the dais that there
was a violation that
needed to be fixed
, as opposed to just
not violating the
Brown Act to begin
with is shocking,
although we are
getting
accustomed to
these opaque and
deceptive
resolutions. One
Councilmember
questionable
statement that she
read something on
Google that some
guy or chick
somewhere said
something like that
people don't really
work 9 to 5 is off
the wall. In fact,
Google directs us
to the following
statistics:
According to
available data, a
significant majority
of California
workers, around
70%, are
considered to have
3/12/25, 9:25 AM richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment https://richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment 2/9 a "typical" 9-to-5
schedule, meaning
they work full-time,
year-round hours
with a standard
daytime schedule;
however, this
number can vary
depending on the
industry and
specific job roles
within the state,
attributed to
Information about
work schedules in
California often
that from the
Public Policy
Institute of
California (PPIC)
and Bureau of
Labor Statistics
(BLS) reports.
Redline states (in
2024) 86% of
workers work
some version of 9
to 5 (this is
national, and
California might
vary).
Nevertheless,
refusing the
taxpayers' right to
comment , despite
the fact that there
was a statement
that the council
had deliberately
bypassed the
regulations, makes
3/12/25, 9:25 AM richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment https://richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment 3/9 us wonder about
the integrity of our
system. Please
cure this by
redoing the March
4th and March
11th meetings (if
you move forward
in violation of the
Brown Act on
March 11th ) at
6:30, as any actions
or approvals taken
during meetings
that are in violation
of the Brown Act
need to be cured
by being redone.
KRGDS, Philip
Rosenthal
References:
GC54952.6 As used
in this chapter,
“action taken”
means a collective
decision made by a
majority of the
members of a
legislative body, a
collective
commitment or
promise by a
majority of the
members of a
legislative body to
make a positive or
a negative
decision, or an
actual vote by a
majority of the
members of a
3/12/25, 9:25 AM richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment https://richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment 4/9 legislative body
when sitting as a
body or entity,
upon a motion,
proposal,
resolution, order
or ordinance. GC
54960 (a) The
district attorney or
any interested
person may
commence an
action by
mandamus,
injunction, or
declaratory relief
for the purpose of
stopping or
preventing
violations or
threatened
violations of this
chapter by
members of the
legislative body of
a local agency or to
determine the
applicability of this
chapter to ongoing
actions or
threatened future
actions of the
legislative body, or
to determine the
applicability of this
chapter to past
actions of the
legislative body,
subject to Section
54960.2, or to
determine whether
3/12/25, 9:25 AM richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment https://richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment 5/9 any rule or action
by the legislative
body to penalize or
otherwise
discourage the
expression of one
or more of its
members is valid
or invalid under
the laws of this
state or of the
United States, or to
compel the
legislative body to
audio record its
closed sessions as
hereinafter
provided. GC
54960.1 (a) The
district attorney or
any interested
person may
commence an
action by
mandamus or
injunction for the
purpose of
obtaining a judicial
determination that
an action taken by
a legislative body
of a local agency in
violation of Section
54953, 54954.2,
54954.5, 54954.6,
54956, or 54956.5
is null and void
under this section.
Nothing in this
chapter shall be
construed to
3/12/25, 9:25 AM richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment https://richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment 6/9 prevent a
legislative body
from curing or
correcting an
action challenged
pursuant to this
section.
3/11/2025 3:30 PM Adopt Sanctuary
City Ordinance.
Louise Williams 777louisewilliams
@gmail.com
I urge you to
protect our
immigrant citizens
by adopting this
Sanctuary City
Ordinance. Our
immigrant
population is vital
to the Richmond
community,
providing talent,
ingenuity, and
labor to our
various businesses.
Do not deputize
our police officers
as ICE personnel.
This is still America,
despite what the
current
administration is
trying to make of
our country. We
ALL have rights. All
law-abiding people
who live and work
in our community
have a right to be
here, to be safe, to
send children to
our schools, to
worship in our
churches and
For Appro
3/12/25, 9:25 AM richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment https://richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment 7/9 temples. It is the
responsibility of
the Richmond City
Council to protect
those rights for all
the citizens of
Richmond.
3/11/2025 3:30 PM Adopt Sanctuary
City Ordinance.
Madison Mennie madimennie@gmai
l.com
I urge you to
support the
Sanctuary City
Ordinance.
Richmond was
built by immigrants
and continues to
thrive on their
talent, labor, and
acumen. This
ordinance is not
just necessary—it
is a moral
imperative.
Everyone deserves
to live without fear,
with dignity, and
with the certainty
that the city stands
with them. By
codifying these
protections, we
can set a powerful
example of what it
means to lead with
humanity. Too
many in the
immigrant
community live in
fear—afraid to
seek help, to go to
work, to send their
children to school.
For Appro
3/12/25, 9:25 AM richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment https://richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment 8/9 The safety,
prosperity, and
future of our city
depend on
ensuring that no
family is torn apart
and that no
individual lives in
terror of losing
everything. Again, I
urge you to protect
our immigrant
community.
Prioritize their
safety and
education. No law-
abiding person
should fear for
their life or the
devastating
uncertainty of
having a loved one
taken from their
home. Please
continue to SAY
NO to ICE in our
city and our police
force. We must be
bold in the face of
hate, fear-
mongering and
anti-immigrant
rhetoric.
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