Alan Blake: Legal immigrant’s response

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I am a legal immigrant who became a US citizen in 2014 and came to live in Santa Clarita 4 years ago. I always thought of Santa Clarita as an inclusive and progressive city. A city that welcomes everyone striving to achieve the American dream of a better life. A city that supports it’s law enforcement leaders Jim McDonnell and Charlie Beck who believe in people’s rights to collaborate with law enforcement without fear of deportation, thereby making our cities safer. Hence, it’s with great sadness that I note the May 8 unanimous City Council decision to fight SB 54 “The California Values Act” and to throw the welcome mat behind the barriers of fear, anger, misinformation and Trump mania.

Surely we all want the same thing here? An inclusive and diverse community where law abiding undocumented immigrants (not violent criminals) are given due process for a commonsense legal path to citizenship? In the short term, sanctuary cities help to avoid driving law abiding undocumented immigrants underground (and the potential for their exploitation) until Washington can finally get its act together (we must hope and lobby for this). So what next? Well, the city council has voted 5-0 to fight SB 54, good luck with that! I for one will not be happy if they waste valuable city funds and resources on supporting this sorry and regretful decision.

Alan Blake
Valencia

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