Two weeks after Santa Ana became the first Orange County municipality to adopt a resolution declaring itself a sanctuary for all residents regardless of immigration status, the City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted in favor of a corresponding ordinance adding teeth to that commitment.
While a resolution is a statement of policy, an ordinance is a specific law that upon violation could be punishable by either a fine or imprisonment, according to Jorge Garcia, senior management assistant for the City Manager’s Office.
Specifically, the ordinance requires the city to implement policies that include prohibiting the use of city resources for immigration enforcement, protecting sensitive information, preventing biased-based policing and directing law enforcement officials to exercise discretion to cite and release individuals instead of detaining them at a local facility or county jail based on the nature of the alleged crime.
Additionally, the ordinance calls for the city to provide more training for affected employees and establish a task force made up of community members to advise the City Council on policies related to the ordinance.
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