Opinion: L.A. needs real policies for helping immigrants, not a divisive ‘sanctuary’ label

To the editor: We should oppose the designation of Los Angeles as a “sanctuary city” for immigrants. (“Why it took so long for L.A. to embrace the ‘sanctuary city’ label,” Sept. 9)

The Trump administration has upended and subverted many of our long-established legal, ethical, moral and public policy norms. It makes no sense to further destroy and subvert our governance by codifying and “trumping” up noncooperation between law enforcement agencies. Our goal should be a comprehensive immigration reform.

In the meantime, of course, we need to address practical concerns. The Los Angeles Police Department already has a sensible policy to make sure people trust it. Make other policy changes, if you have to, out of necessity — as a necessary evil. But let’s not make a virtue out of divisiveness.

Serge Dubovitsky, Los Angeles

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To the editor: We elect City Council members to carry out the business of government. Lately, however, they have taken on issues that should be decided after we the citizens have input.

Councilman Mike Bonin, who lives on the Westside, led an effort to revamp the main street of Playa del Rey without any public hearings. Then Councilman Mitch O’Farrell led the march to scrub Columbus Day from the city’s calendar and rename it Indigenous Peoples Day.

Now Councilman Herb Wesson wants to designate L.A. a so-called sanctuary city. Whichever side you are on on these issues is personal to you, but you should have a say. These are not decisions to be made seemingly unilaterally by a City Council without significant input by the citizens.

Bruce N. Miller, Playa del Rey

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To the editor: Mayor Eric Garcetti is right to hesitate in calling Los Angeles a sanctuary city because the term has too many meanings. As he and many activists say, what’s more important is defining policies that protect rights.

The label serves only to anger the right, which sees it as signifying an effort by liberals to defy the law by harboring criminals.

Let’s work on establishing fair guidelines that have the feds doing their job and the police doing theirs, all in the interests of what’s good for our city and its inhabitants, without going for the title. Personally, I’m tired of having to defend Los Angeles against absurd accusations without having a label that gives the opposition its “proof.”

Jane Diamond, Sherman Oaks

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