Dozens of Bay Area cities land on list of ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’

HAYWARD — Dozens of cities and counties across the Bay Area landed on a list of so-called “sanctuary jurisdictions” published by the Trump administration this week.

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For at least one city, the move changes nothing.

“Federal courts have ruled in favor of sanctuary cities — prohibiting the Trump administration from denying or conditioning the use of federal funds to ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions — and the city of Hayward’s policies will not change,” Mayor Mark Salinas said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the city of Mountain View said in a statement it is “committed to being a ‘community for all,’ ” but is “trying to learn what this designation may mean for the city.”

“Immigration policy and enforcement is a federal government responsibility,” the statement read, “and the Mountain View Police Department does not ask about immigration status of any crime victims, witnesses or other individuals who contact MVPD for help.”

Other local cities on the list include Alameda, Belmont, Berkeley, Concord, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Fremont, Martinez, Menlo Park, Newark, Oakland, Pacifica, Pleasanton, Richmond, San Francisco, San Jose, San Leandro, San Pablo and Union City.

The list also includes the counties of Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara.

Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring the secretary of Homeland Security and the attorney general to publish a list of cities, counties and states that they considered to be obstructing federal immigration laws.

The sanctuary jurisdiction designation could lead to the suspension or termination of federal grants or contracts.

In a statement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said each jurisdiction on the list will receive formal notification that the government has deemed them noncompliant if they are believed to be in violation of any federal criminal statutes.

“Sanctuary cities protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril,” the statement read.

The city of Hayward, in a statement, said its 2017 sanctuary city declaration and associated policies actually advance public health and safety. The declaration and policies are also consistent with and protected by the California Trust Act, which prohibits the use of local law enforcement personnel and resources in the enforcement of federal immigration law, according to the city.

“These policies reflect our commitment to equal treatment and service to all community members and the importance of building trust to keep Hayward neighborhoods safe,” the statement read.

“They also reflect best practices in local policing and recognize that Hayward is a demographically diverse community with a population that, according to American Community Survey data, is 42% foreign born and 18% non-citizens of the United States.”

Check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report.