OCEANSIDE — A City Council majority rejected a second attempt to pass a “community trust resolution” that would express the city’s support for immigrant residents, instead opting to receive a staff report outlining actions already taken to demonstrate such support.
City staff presented the report Oct. 15, detailing progress since the council’s September directive to build trust with immigrant communities, clarify the city’s role in federal immigration enforcement, and signal support for broader immigration reform.
Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce and Councilmember Jimmy Figueroa initially requested on Sept. 17 that staff draft a resolution with nine points to ensure city policies do not aid federal immigration enforcement while promoting awareness of due process rights under the U.S. Constitution.
The council later reduced those points to seven.
City staff said they have acted on several directives to proactively address concerns about increased immigration enforcement.
“The significance of what is taking place in neighborhoods is not lost on staff,” said City Manager Jonathan Borrego. “There is no doubt that the recent immigration enforcement actions have created a heightened level of stress in our neighborhoods, affecting many families and individuals.”
Assistant City Manager Michael Gossman outlined the seven points and the city’s actions:
1. The city has distributed “know your rights” information via a webpage, local workshops, and flyers at community centers and public spaces.
2. Federal law enforcement personnel are prohibited from conducting immigration enforcement in nonpublic areas except as required by law. Gossman said the Fourth Amendment requires a lawful basis for entry, and staff have been trained — with support from the city attorney’s office and Oceanside Police Department — on how to respond to such attempts. Additional signage is being installed.
3. Future city contracts will include language barring contractors from disclosing sensitive or personal information for immigration enforcement purposes, in line with existing state and federal laws.
4. Sensitive or personal data will not be shared with immigration enforcement agencies, consistent with the law. “The city maintains a long-standing practice of safeguarding sensitive and personal information,” Gossman said, adding that staff are trained in data handling and strict protocols exist for any breach.
5. The Oceanside Police and Information Technology departments created a webpage explaining SB 54, which prohibits local police from assisting in immigration enforcement, and provides resources for residents whose loved ones are detained by federal agencies. The page also outlines OPD’s procedures for mutual aid responses. Officers and dispatchers are expected to remain professional, neutral and committed to community trust and safety.
6. The same webpage will feature statements from Police Chief Taurino Valdovinos following mutual aid calls, posted as soon as practical.
7. Staff drafted a letter to Congress, to be signed by the council, urging comprehensive federal immigration reform. The letter mirrors one sent by the city of Escondido in August.
The council did not vote on the report and instead agreed to send individual letters rather than a unified one.
“I did not know that we supported a report,” Figueroa said. “I left here thinking we supported a resolution.”
Figueroa and Joyce sought to move forward with the proposed Community Trust Resolution, but it failed on a 2-3 vote.
Several residents also voiced frustration that the report did not include a resolution.
“I’m here to urge you to pass a Community Trust Resolution — not a report, just to be clear,” said Alex Carrasco, an Oceanside resident and employee at the North County LGBTQ Resource Center. “The city of Oceanside has a duty to protect every residents’ rights, regardless of immigration status. We’re asking you to listen to us, not to erode our trust by minimizing community organizing. The fight against this cruel anti-immigrant agenda is already happening — now, it’s your turn to act.”
Mayor Esther Sanchez said she opposed the resolution, explaining the council had already voted to direct staff to take concrete actions.
“A resolution is just a bunch of words,” she said. “It’s a statement of intent. A report was a statement of action and where we are — to be transparent to you for what we have been doing, what we are doing, and to do everything that was demanded by you all.”
Joyce said a resolution would provide visibility into those actions and help strengthen public confidence.
“It’s not just about the actions — we’re doing them, which is great, I commend that — but part of that is having transparency so that people know we’re doing them, and trust is built from that knowledge,” he said.
Joyce and Figueroa’s original proposal also included providing intervention for families affected by immigration enforcement. Councilmember Rick Robinson suggested the Trauma Intervention Programs of San Diego, which the city already funds to assist families in crisis, could offer that support.
After the resolution failed, audience members expressed anger, clapping, chanting and jeering at city leaders before leaving the chambers at the end of the meeting.
