FRESNO (KMJ) — The signing of Senate Bill 54 has been celebrated in Sacramento by its author Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León, but a Fresno City Councilman fears the approval of the “sanctuary state” bill could see repercussions for local residents.
“I’m really worried about the impact to our city, the City of Fresno,” revealed District 2’s Steve Brandau. His concern comes following an effort in March to get Fresno City Council to collectively oppose SB54 (click here to read more).
“If there is a war between the Trump administration, and Governor Brown’s administration in California, there’s a chance that Fresno and other California cities could suffer. I don’t want to see that.
“We know that Trump fights back, he punches back when somebody hits him. So it wouldn’t surprise me if he punches back.”
President Trump warned earlier this year that areas ignoring the federal immigration law could be defunded.
“The City of Fresno could lose out on a lot of money in a lot of potential things. I know we’re in a grant process for Veterans Boulevard. We get police funded, we get a lot of things funded from the federal government.
“I don’t want to see that battle escalate and we get x’ed out of our share of tax money.”
SB54 means law enforcement will be unable to ask an individual about their immigration status, will not be able to detain someone on the basis of an ICE hold request, will be barred from participating in border patrol activities, and be unable to use immigration agents as interpreters.
“We have projects in the City of Fresno that we’re applying for federal government money. I’d love to see those projects completed,” added Brandau.
“If they don’t get completed then there’s no other funding streams for them right now so they’ll just languish.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
