Advocates Press Concord on ICE as Council Sets Up Immigrant Aid Vote

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Immigrant advocates used an Oct. 27 Concord City Council meeting to argue that a 2017 welcoming resolution is no longer enough. They described ICE activity near city properties and frightened families staying home. The council did not act on enforcement, but three members signaled support for bringing back a proposal to send $75,000 to the Concord Immigrants Protection Network. That support came after the council approved a business agreement, 5-0, without the earmark.

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• ICE fears dominate public comment as advocates call the city's response too quiet
• $75,000 for immigrant family aid deferred to a future agenda; three members back the idea
• Item 4D passes 5-0, letting Stizzy take over a retail operation and sending $293,000 to the general fund
• Catholic Charities alleges Concord PD obstructs U-visa certifications for domestic violence victims
• Retired dispatcher rehired 5-0 as the 24/7 communications center runs short-staffed
• Calendar crunch could delay decisions on a heavy Nov. 10 agenda, including the PLA

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Advocates Say Welcoming Words Need Action

Why it matters: Concord now hosts the Bay Area's only immigration court. Advocates say ICE activity near city properties has left families afraid, and they want a visible local response.

Where things stand: The pressure began in general public comment. Hope Dixon, a Contra Costa College District educator who said she will soon be a Concord resident, urged the council to stop delaying, take courageous action on ICE detainments and communicate through trusted community partners.

The theme returned during a United Against Hate proclamation honoring the Raise the Roof Coalition, the group behind Concord's welcoming resolution. Mayor Laura Nakamura read the policy commitments from the 2017 inclusive resolution. The city does not use E-Verify. It does not spend city resources on federal immigration enforcement unless the law requires it. The resolution also states: "It is our policy not to inquire about immigration status or citizenship when providing city services or in the course of law enforcement activities."

The honorees said those policies are not reaching families on the ground. Christy Laughlin, deputy director for the Contra Costa Campaigns at the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE), tied the resolution to the coalition's housing and anti-deportation work. "We declared that we stood for roof and refuge," she said. She also described ICE operations near city properties.

Gemma, chair of Rising Juntos, described the fear in local schools. "Attendance is down, and parents are scared to leave their homes," she said, describing preschool attendance.

The other side: The sharpest criticism came from Natalie, a public commenter. She criticized what she called official silence from Concord. She asked the council to oppose proposed ICE facilities in Dublin and Gilroy, collect local data on enforcement and adopt an official proclamation.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The proclamations carried no vote, and no enforcement-related action was taken. Immigrant families, school communities and nonprofit partners such as EBASE and Rising Juntos are pushing for more than ceremonial support. The council's clearest response came later in the meeting, through the $75,000 funding proposal described below.

What's next: Advocates' requests on data collection and on the proposed Dublin and Gilroy facilities were not agendized.

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$75,000 Immigrant Aid Idea Gets a Second Look

The basics: Vice Mayor Dominic Aliano pulled Item 4D from the consent calendar. The item covers agreements with Stizzy and Coastal Retail Conquer that assign one-time payments of $75,000 and $218,000 to the general fund.

Where things stand: Aliano proposed redirecting part of that money to the Concord Immigrants Protection Network (CIPN), which helps affected families pay for utilities and food. "I would like to recommend to my colleagues that we take $75,000 of what's being awarded to us in these agreements," he said.

The city attorney said the item had to move forward on its own. "We do need the council to vote on this item because this item needs council consideration in order for Stizzy to be able to take over the coastal operations …" the attorney said. The attorney added that the resolution assigns both payments to the general fund. Funding for community groups, the attorney said, should come as a separate agendized item, typically with an application process.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Aliano dropped the amendment, and Item 4D passed on a roll call vote. For: 5 (Nakamura, Aliano, Councilmember Carlyn Obringer, Councilmember Laura Hoffmeister, Councilmember Pablo Benavente), Against: 0, Absent: 0.

Stizzy can now take over the retail operation, and the city gains $293,000 in one-time money. Later, during reports, Mayor Nakamura confirmed: "We have 3 members of the council who support the proposal by Vice Mayor Aliano."

What's next: The CIPN funding proposal will return as a separate item. Because the city attorney flagged that such grants typically involve an application process, other community groups may also seek a share.

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Catholic Charities Alleges U-Visa Obstruction

Why it matters: A U-visa certification is a path to immigration status for crime victims, including domestic violence survivors. A police department must sign off on it.

Where things stand: William Collin, a Department of Justice-accredited representative with Catholic Charities of the East Bay, alleged that Concord PD has returned certification supplements with comments suggesting applicants embellish their accounts. He said victims have been mistreated and threatened over their immigration status. He contrasted the current certifying officer with a more flexible predecessor who served during Obringer's term as mayor.

Collin asked the council to have the police chief hold the officer accountable and to open an investigation. He said the delays discourage immigrants from reporting crimes.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: These are Collin's allegations, and no city response was recorded. The complaint arrived on the same night advocates questioned whether the welcoming resolution's law enforcement commitments hold up in practice.

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Retired Dispatcher Returns to Ease Staffing Crunch

The basics: CalPERS generally requires retirees to wait 180 days before returning to public work. Councils can approve exceptions under Government Code Section 7522.56 and Section 21224.

Where things stand: The police communications center has 17 authorized dispatcher positions. One is vacant, and four of the 16 filled positions are held by trainees. "Effectively, we're running the communications center with 12 active full-time police dispatchers," said a staff presenter.

Tracy Kling retired in July after 32 years. She will return for 10 to 12 months as a limited-service employee at $47.11 an hour. She can work up to 960 hours per fiscal year and will receive no additional benefits. A second resolution updates the salary schedule, including Workday formatting changes, without changing any salary ranges. "There is no additional fiscal impact associated with these actions," the presenter said.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The council approved the staff recommendation 5-0. For: 5 (Aliano, Obringer, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Nakamura), Against: 0, Absent: 0. There was no public comment. The rehire should reduce overtime for current dispatchers and free up time to train the four new hires.

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Absences Squeeze a Heavy November Calendar

Where things stand: Aliano cannot attend the Nov. 10 meeting, and members listed conflicts for Nov. 16, 17 and 24 and Dec. 1 and 8. Aliano asked that the project labor agreement (PLA) with the building trades come up before he leaves the council. A PLA sets wages and work rules for construction projects. "I would like to have that agendized before the transition does occur," he said. The city attorney confirmed the item is already planned for Nov. 10.

The attorney offered a fallback. The council would take public comment on Nov. 10 and defer the decision, and an absent member "can watch the tape and then state at the beginning of the December 15th meeting that he's watched the tape," before voting. That meeting could start at 5:30.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Nakamura preferred asking her executive assistant to find a special meeting date, and members agreed. No motion was made. The building trades and the CIPN proposal are both affected by the timing.

What's next: Staff will look for an added meeting date. Dec. 15, the reorganization meeting, remains the fallback for final votes.

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• Consent items 4A–4C passed 5-0 on Obringer's motion; their contents were not described.
• Mobility Matters received a proclamation for 50 years of senior rides, including 91,206 rides, more than 500 members and about 200 volunteer drivers. Drivers Laura Spaulding and David Williams were honored. "There is a certain pot of funds that comes out of our region that we allocate towards senior mobility," said Councilmember Carlyn Obringer, referring to TransPac.
• Youth Environmental Art Contest: Nine pieces by artists ages 6 to 15 now decorate Big Belly bins around Todos Santos Plaza for about a year.
• Pete Bennett, a public commenter, described a decades-old grievance involving alleged police involvement and asked the city to settle his claim. No corroboration was offered.
• The council adjourned at 8:02 p.m. in memory of Fred McDougall, a longtime fixture at the Legends restaurant at Diablo Creek Golf Course.

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Looking ahead: Scare Away Hunger is Oct. 30. A Dia de los Muertos event takes place Nov. 1 at Pacheco Square, and the Mount Diablo Resource Recovery cleanup day is Nov. 7. A ballot drop box on Parkside Drive stays open until 8 p.m. on Election Day. The PLA is set for the Nov. 10 meeting.