The Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday formed a new committee to provide advice and guidance on how to respond to the Trump Administration’s immigration policies, which are widely lambasted as draconian by local politicians and community leaders.
On a 4-0 vote, with Supervisor Lena Tam excused, the board created the “Alameda County Together for All” committee, to be chaired by Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who proposed the idea.
“I’m deeply concerned about the federal policies and budget decisions on Alameda County’s most vulnerable residents,” Bas said, noting she’s the daughter of Filipino immigrants herself.
“Many of us are hearing from immigrants and refugees across the county who are fearful of going to work, going to school, seeking health care or other social services because they could be singled out and torn apart from their families,” Bas said.
The new ad hoc committee was formed in the image of a similar committee championed by the late supervisors Wilma Chan and Richard Valle in 2017 and dubbed the “Ad Hoc Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights.”
Its goals include developing policy and program proposals to protect the county and its immigrant and refugee communities from federal policies and budgets; organize support for access to county services, including health care, social services and reproductive services and to “expand the county’s welcoming policy for immigrants and refugees,” according to a staff report.
“Many of us are hearing from immigrants and refugees across the county who are fearful of going to work, going to school, seeking health care or other social services because they could be singled out and torn apart from their families.”
Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas
Supervisor Elisa Márquez, the new ad hoc committee’s vice chair, echoed Fortunato Bas’ statements and added that it will also provide the county with an opportunity to engage in robust community outreach regarding how Trump’s policies — like mass deportations and threats to cut funding from uncooperative local jurisdictions — might impact county residents.
“So the point of this ad hoc committee is to disseminate accurate and timely information and to strengthen public private partnerships,” Márquez said.
She said one of its early tasks will be to help launch a “rapid response” hotline so people can have 24/7 access to information and assistance regarding things like federal immigration raids and legal advice.
The committee could also work on developing a county fund to make up for any potential budget cuts from federal sources.
Another task will be to hold town hall-type meetings in different parts of the county so people can hear about the federal government’s new policies, ask questions and find resources.
While both voted to approve the committee’s formation, Supervisor Nate Miley wanted assurances it wouldn’t supersede the authority or duplicate the work of existing standing committees, while Supervisor David Haubert said the committee should have a relatively small budget and not promote policies that would break federal or state law.
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