SF Mayor Lurie stands by city's sanctuary policy | Here's what it means amid ICE detainments
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Faith leaders gathered outside San Francisco City Hall to stand in unity after a number of immigration detentions have taken place in the city and Southern California.
Standing with faith leaders and immigration advocates, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie made his position clear.
"These actions are not meant to fix our broken immigration system, they are intended to terrorize people," Mayor Lurie said. "For decades, San Francisco has had sanctuary policies - that means our police officers and city staff do not assist with federal immigration enforcement. Simply put, these policies make our city safer and that is what I was elected to do and that is why I stand by them 100%."
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In the last week, immigration and customs enforcement agents have detained at least 15 people who showed up to their immigration appointments in the city, among them children as young as 3 years old and their mothers.
San Francisco became a sanctuary city 36 years ago, but ICE's recent actions are causing some to question those protections.
"Mothers are being pulled off the street and separated from their children," Mayor Lurie said. "It is inhumane, it goes directly against the values of this city and this country."
To get more clarity on what San Francisco is and is not allowed to do as a Sanctuary City, ABC7 News spoke to University of San Francisco professor of migration studies Bill Hing.
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"The city cannot use any of its resources to engage in immigration enforcement," Professor Hing said. "That means when it comes to resources, personnel, they are not supposed to ask about immigration status and if they happen to find out they are not supposed to pick up the phone and call ICE. The police are not supposed to go with ICE to arrest people for immigration violations."
Sanctuary laws do not stop ICE from entering San Francisco.
"It doesn't mean that the city will put up a fence around San Francisco and keep ICE out, but it does mean that San Francisco would not facilitate immigration enforcement," said Professor Hing.
Among the local leaders standing on the steps of City Hall was San Francisco's Sheriff Paul Miyamoto.
"We are disappointed that while we were informed that they would be going after individuals with criminal histories, federal criminal charges, that has transitioned into coming into our communities and arresting people who don't have those criminal histories," Sheriff Miyamoto said.
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Sheriff Miyamoto confirmed his deputies have not collaborated with ICE during these latest detentions.
"The only time that I as a constitutional officer in California work with ICE is if there is a need to notify them of somebody who has serious violent felonies, convictions and a history of criminal behavior which qualifies them to be notified," Sheriff Miyamoto said. "Out of thousands of requests for detention, I think we have only honored one."
Many felt encouraged to hear that San Francisco reaffirmed its commitment to protect the immigrant community.
"He said it very clearly, it's a sanctuary city," said Olga Miranda, president of the SEIU Local 87 union.
