Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood took his argument that the county should declare itself as a non-sanctuary county to the Board of Supervisors today.
The move came despite a failed effort last week by the Sheriff to place it on Tuesday’s agenda. His request was rejected by the county’s attorney for legal and procedural reasons.
Despite that, Youngblood still showed up at Tuesday’s meeting and used the public comment period to critique SB-54, a bill in Sacramento that would make California a sanctuary state and prohibit local law enforcement from sharing information with immigration officials.
He told Supervisors that if SB-54 becomes law, Kern County could stand to lose federal grants, plus money it gets from ICE for housing their detainees in the county jail, and a program that currently has ICE agents working inside the jail. While a non-sanctuary designation would basically just affirm current county policies, he said it would send a message to Washington.
“A non-sanctuary county does not harbor criminals, we are a law and order county," said Youngblood.
He went on to list crimes allegedly committed by undocumented immigrants in the county jail.
Because the item wasn’t on the agenda, the board couldn’t vote on Youngblood’s proposal, and an effort to put it on the next meeting’s agenda failed to get support as well.
Still Youngblood said the issue isn’t over.
"I am willing to go this alone, I am willing to declare Kern County, as the sheriff, that we are a non-sanctuary county. I am willing to write that resolution letter to the President of the United State, the governor of the State of California, and to both attorney generals [sic] declaring that," said Youngblood.
The Board did approve an item for next week’s meeting that would put the county on the record as opposing SB54.
