Petaluma City Council to vote on ‘sanctuary’ resolution

The night after Petaluma's Feb. 6 City Council meeting was a restless one for Councilman Dave King after having listened to community members beseech the council to adopt an “It Won't Happen Here” declaration safeguarding the equal rights of all people.

In response to the public outcry that night, that included a petition signed by 875 community members, Mayor David Glass named King, Teresa Barrett and Kathy Miller to draft a formal resolution.

King finished the resolution's first draft the next morning, and with input from Barret and Miller, it was sent off to the city. Tonight, the council is expected to pass the resolution that, among other provisions, states the city “will refuse to cooperate with any demands from the federal government to institute detentions, deportations, registries .?.?. imprisonment .?.?. based on immigration status, race” or other protections under state and federal laws.

In addition, the proposed resolution states Petaluma law enforcement will not detain an individual eligible for release from custody on the basis of an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold, unless the person has been convicted of crimes specified in the 2014 California Trust Act.

The resolution is similar to others passed by cities across the nation in reaction to President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration and divisive statements about undocumented immigrants.

Similar votes have been taken by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, and the city councils of Santa Rosa, Healdsburg and Sebastopol. A resolution is forthcoming in Sonoma, and a bill has been put forward in the state Senate to declare California a “sanctuary state.”

“What bothers me the most about what's happening is what the impact is on families,” King said. “It impacts a lot of people, but when it starts impacting children and young adults, it crosses a line of fairness and what I think our country should really stand for.”

Initially, Glass was hesitant about the city adopting such a proposal, concerned about the impact it might have on the millions in federal funding the city receives. He now backs it wholeheartedly.

“I've come to the conclusion that we're the same as the rest of California whether we do this or not,” he said. “How do you rationally think about an irrational chief executive? It's more important to let our community know that - to the degree we're capable of it - they're not vulnerable as a result of us (not taking action).”

In an emotional speech before the council chamber on Feb. 6, newly sworn-in Petaluma Police Chief Ken Savano took a few minutes to make his own thoughts known about undocumented immigrants and other minority communities in Petaluma.

“The City of Petaluma is open to everyone, no matter where you come from, what language you speak, who you love or how you worship,” he said to applause. “As your police chief, I want to reaffirm our commitment to working together to keep our community safe and healthy and to taking care of all community members and their families, regardless of citizenship.”

Sam Tuttelman and Chuck Scher, longstanding community activists who had a hand in bringing the “It Won't Happen Here” resolution before the council, are intent on making sure this isn't the end of the movement in Petaluma.

Two community engagement fairs, like one held last month in Santa Rosa that drew thousands, are in the works, likely to be held in the summer.

“In general there are a lot of groups spontaneously forming in Sonoma County and in Petaluma to try to counteract what we view as the vitriolic and bigoted agenda that Trump has put forward,” Scher said. “It requires a response from all people of good will. In my humble opinion, that's what we're doing. People are coming out of the woodwork to ask what they can do.”

You can reach Staff Writer Christi Warren at 707-521-5205 or christi.warren@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @SeaWarren.