El Monte organizers push for sanctuary ordinance amid Trump's immigration crackdown

EL MONTE, Calif. (KABC) -- Community groups are urging the El Monte City Council to pass a sanctuary ordinance they say is needed to protect immigrants amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

Organizers are calling for protections that would limit how city resources may be used in immigration enforcement, restrict the sharing of residents' sensitive information and ban new contracts with companies that provide data to immigration authorities.

"The City Council has made promises to agendize a sanctuary ordinance, but has failed to follow through on these promises," the L.A. Sanctuary Coalition said in a statement.

Organizers made their voices heard at Wednesday's City Council meeting.

They say fear in the community has grown in recent weeks following federal immigration operations in El Monte, including an incident in which activist Maria Santay livestreamed from her car as agents used a hammer to break her window. She was taken into custody and later released.

"Where is that ordinance policy, man? Where is it? They broke my windows. Come on," Santay told the City Council at the meeting. "We don't have to look at Minnesota."

Inside City Hall there are concerns. Councilmember Martin Herrera, who sits on the city's immigration task force, points to El Monte's reliance on federal grants.

The city manager confirmed a significant portion of police funding comes from federal sources, raising questions about what could be at risk.

"The state of California's SB 54, the California Values Act, makes the state a sanctuary state and by default, the cities within it are sanctuary cities, but our community really wants affirmation that this city is committed to those values," Herrera said.

The city attorney confirmed at the meeting that an agenda item is coming.