How do you feel about Alameda being a sanctuary city?
Jenny Miller: It makes me proud. I remember when I was thinking about moving to Alameda in 1992, Alameda had the reputation of being very conservative and not open to outsiders. In fact, I remember having to read the Alameda Journal to find out what houses were on the market because many were not listed in papers like the San Francisco Chronicle. I think the Island has become more welcoming overall. I know some people are worried that federal funding will be taken away from the city and things becoming more expensive. But I think that people feeling safe here is worth that expense.
Ruth Smiler: I am proud that our city council adopted a resolution declaring Alameda a sanctuary city. ‘Everyone Belongs Here’ has become the city motto. How cool is that!?
Elizabeth Winifred: I support immigrants but also think we need to abide by the law.
Gabrielle Dolphin: There are times that ask individuals and whole communities to stop in the midst of our routines and ask, ‘Just who the heck am I? What the heck do I stand for?’ The political earthquake that hit this nation in November unleashed a monster with a slow rise to normalcy of Islamophobia, homophobia, misogyny, and xenophobia … All those fears fanned into mindless reactions that tear humanity apart rather than bring us together. When Alameda’s city council passed its sanctuary city resolution, we witnessed a deep humanity arising over the cacophony of fear-based politics. The council stopped, along with the whole of Alameda, to ask of themselves the questions, ‘Who are we as a community? What do we stand for?’
Claire-Yeaton Risley: I think it makes people who are frustrated and angry over the election of President Trump feel better, but I don’t think that it makes much of a real difference. I don’t see the Alameda police snatching law abiding residents from their homes, whether or not we are a ‘sanctuary city,’ and I don’t think that designation will deter federal agents from enforcing our immigration laws in Alameda.
Sherry Sherman: Donald Trump’s mass deportation mandate is an egregious violation of the civil liberties of immigrants. It rips apart the fabric of families, communities, and our entire country. Alameda’s decision to become a sanctuary city, to be a safe haven for everyone in our community, is the right thing to do.
Published May 4, 2017 at 8:00 a.m.