At Culver City’s latest city council meeting, Council Member Meghan Sahl-Wells discussed the many different difficulties the United States is dealing with right now, from the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey to the President’s recent changes to the country’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy (DACA) and its impacti on immigration. She, along with Mayor Jeffery Cooper, reiterated that Culver City’s Sanctuary City designation means immigrants would always be welcome in Culver City.
Culver City declared itself a Sanctuary City earlier this year on March 27 stating, “The City of Culver City is a sanctuary city for all of its residents, and the City stands in solidarity with other sanctuary jurisdictions. The City reaffirms its commitment to welcome individuals with diverse backgrounds and will uphold and protect the human and civil rights of all individuals under the State and Federal Constitutions, regardless of immigration status.”
Martin Feinberg, Culver City Realtor, was pleased with the City’s decision earlier this year. The community’s dedication to all of its citizens, including immigrants, helps to make Culver City Real Estate so popular.
Per the city’s resolution, the City Council affirmed at that time that the city would “continue to act in a manner consistent with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) 9 Model State and Local Law Enforcement Policies and Rules.”
Previous Mayor Jim B Clarke stated in March, “This is not a decision the City Council came to lightly, and it is always helpful when the community expresses their opinions on an issue. Even though Culver City has not historically participated in the enforcement of immigration laws, it is important to cement our promise to protect the public’s safety as well as the rights of all of our City residents, regardless of their immigration status.”
Though many were pleased with the City’s policies on immigration, some at the September meeting expressed that more changes were needed. At the council meeting last week, Sebastian Hernandez of the Culver City Action Network praised Mayor Cooper for passing the Sanctuary City bill in the spring but raised concerns about wording in the Culver City Police Department manual, which seems to contradict the resolution.
Mayor Cooper did not see the need to change the wording in the manual, instead stating that though the wording was ambiguous and misleading, the Police Department are behaving in accordance with the Sanctuary City designation. Hernandez, and Culver City resident Noah Katz, still hope for a change, claiming, “Words, as well as actions, matter.”
Martin Feinberg, Realtor, reminds that the City’s current procedures include the refusal to release personal identifiable information to Federal immigration authorities and requiring judicial warrants before agreeing to detain individuals at the request of such authorities.
For more information or questions regarding Culver City’s view on immigration enforcement, community members are encouraged to contact Community Relations Lieutenant Troy Dunlap at (310) 253-6258.
