Undocumented immigrants in Long Beach could soon have federal authorities provide them with extra protection, although many immigrant activists feel these do not go far enough. On Tuesday, the City Council will vote on whether to give their approval to the Long Beach Values Act, which would make Long Beach a sanctuary city and result in the creation of a new legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation from the US.
Lena Gonzalez, the Councilwoman who represents the city’s 1st District downtown, says Long Beach is one of the nation’s most diverse cities and she welcomes any policy that supports the community so strongly. She added that they can work with educational partners and city departments to create a better and more inclusive environment.
Around 42 percent of the residents of Long Beach identify as Latino or Hispanic, US Census Bureau from 2016 revealed, with the city also having about 20,000 Cambodian residents, the biggest population of such people anywhere outside of Southeast Asia. The act would go beyond state law and ban all city departments and employees, not just those in law enforcement, from collecting data about undocumented immigrants.
The act would prevent sensitive information, such as race, immigration status, citizenship, religion, or ethnicity being collected by city officials, except if it has a direct relation to a city function or service. Activists have criticized the exceptions and encouraged the council to pass the act without them.