The Phoenix City Council has voted down a petition seeking to limit the role of the Phoenix Police Department in immigration enforcement. The rejected petition, organized by social justice nonprofit Poder in Action, aimed to establish a clear line of separation between city police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to FOX 10. Amid a charged atmosphere, the council’s decision arrived on the heels of community concerns about federal policies on undocumented immigrants and subsequent deportations.
During the council meeting, which took place on June 18 as per AZ Family, activists argued that ongoing federal raids have been a source of fear and tension across the nation. The proposal known as “Thriving Communities” sought to have officers cite and release for simple violations rather than arrest, along with putting an end to alleged arrest quotas and reducing interactions between officers and undocumented immigrants. The petition also comes in light of promises made by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego following the election of President Donald Trump. She had pledged that the city would not assist in “mass deportation efforts,” as per FOX 10.
However, the Phoenix City Council sided with the city’s recommendation to deny the petition. The lone dissenting vote in the 8 to 1 decision underlines the difficult balance between state law, which prohibits sanctuary cities and obligates police to cooperate with federal immigration officials, and the city’s own enforcement policies. Activists like Miros Mejia from Poder in Action brought to the fore concerns that ICE agents are present in Phoenix jails and have been seen targeting nonviolent, minor offenders. “These are members of the community that have been here for a very long time, and when they are stopped and detained by police and handed over to ICE, unfortunately, it comes to the point where families are being separated,” Mejia told FOX 10…