Costa Mesa approves immigrant aid

Council members vote to allocate funds and to support a state bill requiring ICE IDs.

- BY SARA CARDINE

MARY SPADONI shows support for a state Senate bill requiring ICE officers to identify themselves.

Following an impassioned discussion last month about how to protect immigrant families living in fear amid ICE raids, Costa Mesa officials have voted to place their legislative support — and money — behind several avenues of assistance.

The City Council in a meeting last week approved a resolution and letter of support for Senate Bill 805, which would require law enforcement officers to visibly identify themselves and display their credentials, allow local police to request such identification and also make impersonating a law enforcement officer a misdemeanor offense.

Introduced by state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena), the “No Vigilantes Act” attempts, in part, to limit the actions of bounty hunters observed participating in immigration sweeps under the guise of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

The council also agreed to allocate $100,000 toward efforts being undertaken by Enough for All, a coalition of Costa Mesa churches that's been providing food, donations and help to Latino residents living in hiding from federal enforcement agent sweeps that have hit Orange County in recent months.