The farming community of Lindsay could soon become a sanctuary city following the recent immigration sweep in the Central Valley.
The Lindsay City Council will take up a proposal to declare the Tulare County city a safe haven for illegal immigrants at a future meeting.
The big picture: The city announced at the end of its meeting on Jan. 14 that the city council will consider a proclamation to declare Lindsay a sanctuary city on a future agenda.
- Sanctuary cities generally refuse to cooperate with the federal government to enforce immigration law and deportations.
- California previously declared itself a sanctuary state during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.
Driving the news: Lindsay’s consideration comes after U.S. Customs and Border Protection hit Kern County with a three-day operation targeting criminals who were in the country illegally.
- “Operation Return to Sender” saw 78 people get arrested. The countries they were from include Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador, Mexico and China.
- Rumors spread following the Kern County operation that farmworkers in Fresno County were being targeted by immigration officials, although those reports were unconfirmed by officials.
What they’re saying: Lindsay Public Safety Director Rob Moore told the council that he has been told the sweep was not a targeted immigration roundup, but it was targeted at criminals.
- Moore said the operation was not conducted in Tulare County despite rumors that were spread on social media.
- “The police department, we are not affiliated with immigrations, and we don’t enforce immigration laws,” Moore said. “So there’s no worry for that. I think our focus is for helping the people – regardless of their citizen status – in our community. That’s our key is to provide a safe community for the people of Lindsay, whether they’re legal citizens or not. That’s just what we do.”
