We commend the Board of Supervisors for hosting a mandated TRUTH Act public forum as part of the essential need to hold government to the highest standards of transparency and accountability. We look forward to a frank and comprehensive presentation from Sheriff Parkinson.
The California legislature enacted the ‘Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds Act’—the TRUTH Act – to ensure trust between the community and local law enforcement during Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities in California. The recent and escalating militarization of ICE, its use of force and intimidation, and its failure to protect civil liberties have eroded that trust. The resulting climate of fear and distrust make it hard, if not impossible, for our police to do their job. Public trust that our government and its agencies will do the right thing is central to democracy. Without it, we are adrift as a nation.
The US League of Women Voters has called for a Congressional investigation into recent federal immigration enforcement actions. The League of Women Voters of California is considering policies to hold ICE accountable for its actions in California. One proposal is to create “ICE-free zones” on county-owned property — a meaningful step toward protecting public spaces and upholding community safety. We urge the Board to consider this.
The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights identifies freedom from fear as a basic human right for everyone, immigrant or not. Our local institutions must ensure that everyone is safe from unwarranted and illegal immigration enforcement.
Janice Langley, Joanne Schultz, Wendy Brown, Jacquie Canfield
League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County
