SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Immigration activists gathered outside El Cajon City Hall Tuesday ahead of a meeting in which the city council voted against a resolution that would have allowed local law enforcement to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration policies.
The El Cajon City Council denied the resolution in a 3-2 vote.
Council chambers were filled to capacity. Many people stood outside to watch the meeting.
Images of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the country and in San Diego have some migrants afraid to leave their homes.
"We make the community thrive economically. Businesses are suffering now because, since Sunday, nobody wants to come out, " said one activist.
ABC 10News has repeatedly asked, but ICE has not said how many people were taken into custody in San Diego.
Federal authorities say the raids are targeting dangerous criminals in the country illegally. But Eva Pacheco, a longtime El Cajon resident and teacher, says that's not always the case.
"So far, all the people that we know that have been detained are not criminals, and they don't have convictions. As I mentioned, they can say anything. They can justify what is going on now — all I can say is we are under attack," said Pacheco.
Pacheo says now they feel under attack in their own city. Mayor Bill Wells wanted the council to pass the resolution that would have allowed police to turn over dangerous criminals to ICE.
Right now, state law prohibits this.
Under the California Values Act, or what some people often refer to as SB 54, local officers are prohibited from asking about immigration status or detaining someone based on a request from immigration agencies.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Office can only notify ICE of a release date if the inmate meets the criteria for a dangerous criminal. The law also requires written consent from the inmate before an ICE interview is granted.
"He's saying very clearly, 'I will do whatever it takes to support the federal immigration law,'" said Pacheco.
The mayor has been clear on social media, often posting on X.
As Mayor of El Cajon, my top priority is the safety and security of our community. That’s why I am introducing a resolution to support federal deportation efforts for criminals, ensuring that those who break our laws and threaten our families are held accountable.
— Bill Wells (@MayorBillWells) January 28, 2025
For too long,…
He posted a lengthy statement that said in part, "I'm calling on my colleagues to support working with the federal government to deport illegal criminals out of our city."
He went on to say, "This should be common sense."
Following the 3-2 vote denying the resolution, Wells wrote on X, "I want the residents of El Cajon and San Diego County to know this: I will not stop fighting to protect our communities and keep criminals off our streets."
