By Jorge Casuso
February 18, 2025 -- Mayor Lana Negrete last week reaffirmed Santa Monica's policy not to assist federal authorities in enforcing U.S. immigration laws.
The policy was initially adopted by City Council resolution after President Donald Trump was first elected in 2016, and it was reaffirmed last December shortly after he was sworn in to serve a second term.
While the Council has stopped short of declaring Santa Monica a "sanctuary city," the resolutions affirm the City's "commitment to protecting all residents, regardless of immigration status," Negrete said.
"We do not use City resources to investigate, apprehend, detain, or register individuals whose sole offense is being here without legal status," Negrete wrote.
"Our Police Department follows CA state law; the California Values Act of 2017 guides our police department. We will only cooperate with federal immigration enforcement when an individual has been arrested for criminal activity."
Approved in October 2017, the State law limits the cooperation of law enforcement agencies with federal immigration authorities and prohibits the use of state resources for immigration enforcement.
Shortly after Trump first took office in 2017, the Council directed staff to draft an ordinance that prohibits employers and landlords, among others, from collecting information on people’s immigration status, religion and sexual identity ("Santa Monica Council Moves Forward on Immigration, Religious Identity Ordinance," February 17, 2017).
Negrete's statement was issued as Trump is taking swift steps to fulfill a campaign promise to secure the Mexican border, with illegal crossings plummeting since his election.
The President also has directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to focus on arresting and deporting those with criminal histories who are in the country illegally.
Several major sanctuary cities, including New York, have recently softened their stance on defying the Federal government's enforcement efforts, while others, led by San Francisco, are challenging the administration.
The changes were prompted by an executive order signed by Trump hours after his inauguration directing federal officials to take actions “to ensure that so-called ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions, which seek to interfere with the lawful exercise of Federal law enforcement operations, do not receive access to Federal funds.”
It is unclear what, if any, impact Santa Monica's policy will have on its federal funding since the Council has not declared it a sanctuary city, although it shares common policies with those that have.
According to City officials, Santa Monica was not among the cities that received a letter from President Trump's adviser Stephen Miller's nonprofit, America First Legal, warning about interfering with immigration enforcement.
The letter sent on December 23 to sanctuary cities across the country, including Los Anegles, noted that "Federal law imposes serious consequences for obstructing the execution of federal immigration law."
"So-called 'sanctuary' jurisdictions that forbid compliance with federal immigration law and cooperation with the officials who enforce it are, therefore, breaking the law," the legal nonprofit wrote.
"Moreover, sanctuary jurisdictions are strictly prohibited from requiring their employees to violate federal immigration law."
Miller, who is a graduate of Santa Monica High School, has often signaled out the City for its liberal policies, including in a March 2002 letter to The Lookout ("LETTERS -- Political Correctness Out of Control," March 27, 2002).
In her statement, Negrete noted the City is "actively working with partners -- including the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, civil rights organizations, legal aid attorneys, and immigration advocates -- to support our most vulnerable residents.
"We will continue to listen, collaborate, and respond thoughtfully to ensure all Santa Monicans feel safe, respected, and welcome," Negrete wrote.
