Semantha Raquel Norris
Special to San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol
Community members have stepped up to take turns providing food for jornaleros (day laborers), sharing information and resources with them and keeping watch for federal immigration authorities at the Home Depot in the City of San Fernando.
The location has been targeted multiple times since June, when President Donald Trump’s administration launched an all-out attack on Los Angeles’ immigrant communities and was given the green light to racially profile people who “look Latino” or speak Spanish.
“We have had eight raids in San Fernando in the last four months … We’re fatigued, we’re tired, we’re scared,” said City of San Fernando resident Brissa Magana during the public comment segment at Monday’s City Council meeting.
“I’m broken, and so is my community,” she continued. “I plead with you to please do something when the ICE raids come to our town. Protect our families. Protect our neighbors.”
Issues surrounding how the City of San Fernando can help protect its immigrant communities, with questions about whether the San Fernando Police Department (SFPD) has inappropriately supported federal immigration authorities, were raised during the City Council meeting on Nov. 10.
“I’m very concerned about the safety of all San Fernando residents, and the violence that ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] has brought to our community, and the inadequate response from the city,” said Marisela Gutierrez. “We don’t feel safe, and it’s concerning that our police force seems to be colluding with the vigilantes.”
Last week, after a confrontation between a man videotaping the jornaleros and Nataja Jennings, a community member who was trying to protect their anonymity, SFPD arrested Jennings.
A court hearing is scheduled for Jennings on Nov. 20.
According to SFPD Police Chief Fabian Valdez, the “altercation” between the two escalated, causing the individual videotaping to allege battery occurred and insist that Jennings be arrested.
Others present at the time of the incident claim it did not escalate to the point of battery. They further allege that the person videotaping was harassing the volunteers and question why Jennings was the only one detained and arrested.
Jennings has been praised and is well known in the Northeast Valley with other volunteers who have regularly responded to ICE raids, videotaped activity and provided direct aid to day laborers. With whistles in hand, they have been credited for thwarting ICE arrests in some instances.
During the city council meeting, Valdez referred to the “confrontation,” noting that we should “always revert back to what we learned in kindergarten – the sense that we gotta keep our body parts and our hands to ourselves.”
Mayor Mary Mendoza suggested that those protesting or feeding day laborers do it in a way “where you don’t get yourselves in trouble.”
She added that “maybe a lot of you here in the back are not San Fernando residents” and that it is important for the community to understand “how the City of San Fernando works,” what its boundaries are and when SFPD is responsible.
Councilwoman Patty Lopez questioned Valdez on what residents should be expected to do and how SFPD can help when unidentified masked men are kidnapping their community members.
California is a sanctuary state under SB54, meaning local law enforcement cannot aid federal immigration authorities, said Valdez, but they are also not able to “impede, delay or obstruct a federal operation.”
The City of San Fernando voted against proclaiming itself a sanctuary city.
“We are a municipal police department that enforces state law and local law. We do not engage in enforcing federal law,” said Valdez. “The city has already adopted multiple resolutions to ensure that we are not cooperating, even indirectly, with immigration officials or federal agents with respect to immigration enforcement.”
Councilmembers noted several programs they have implemented to aid community members affected by ongoing ICE activity in the city. This includes a $50,000 grant to the nonprofit Ignite the Light of Hope to deliver groceries to families who are afraid to leave their homes; direct funds of $250 to individuals and $500 to families; and programs to aid in rent payments.
Virginia Sandoval, an active community member who has provided aid to day laborers at the Home Depot in the City of San Fernando, called on the council to provide transparency and data from those programs.
“How many of those families have been helped by the $50,000 grants?” Sandoval questioned during public comment. “We ask for inclusion, we ask for transparency, we ask for everything that is needed to be able to help the people that are actively being impacted by what is going on in this city.”
The council directed city staff to schedule a community forum after the holidays to engage with residents and answer questions about how the city and police department can help those affected by immigration enforcement.
“This is why we rely on our community more than you all,” someone shouted, unimpressed by the council’s actions.