Commentary: Divided Costa Mesa City Council votes to instill fear in growing Latino community

Just after 1 a.m. on Wednesday, after almost six hours of debate and discussion, during which nearly 100 people spoke to the issue with passion on both sides, the Costa Mesa City Council voted 3-2 (with council members Katrina Foley and John Stephens voting no) to issue a resolution basically decrying Senate Bill 54, the so-called California Values Act.

Foley and Stephens correctly observed that this issue is being resolved in the courts between the state and federal governments, and that we shouldn’t be involved. We have much bigger fish to fry: sober living homes, homelessness and the ongoing problems of trying to re-staff the Police Department.

For the first time since I retired my blog a year ago, I actually watched every minute of this meeting and heard every comment made, albeit from the comfort of my home. I watched dozens of imported activists, many wearing Trumpian red garb, spew falsehoods and racist venom to try to influence our elected leaders. I watched hopeful residents present their views against this action.

I watched Mayor Sandra Genis attempt to maintain order in a very rowdy setting and, to her credit, between her yelling at offenders in the crowd and pounding her gavel to shut them up, she almost managed to pull it off. She did have to unleash police officers to eject a couple people in an attempt to maintain decorum.

After all was said and done she disappointed most of the residents in the room and joined Mayor Pro Tem Allan Mansoor and Councilman Jim Righeimer to pass the resolution, after which the remaining rowdy, imported activists shouted and sang in glee, creating total chaos in the auditorium.

This was a very sad time for our city because it marks a return to the days more than a decade ago when Mansoor installed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in our jail and caused upheaval and fear among the more than 30% of our residents who are of Latino heritage.

Once again, we will find members of our growing Latino community reluctant to report crimes because they might be snatched up as possible illegal aliens and turned over to ICE for possible deportation. Once again we will find that community in fear of families being fractured and economic hardship endured as wage-earners are picked up for minor infractions.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out at the ballot box this November because, just as it did more than a dozen years ago, this issue will divide our city and add even more importance to the election choices we will make when we select council members by districts and, for the first time in city history, directly elect a mayor. As it stands today, Foley and Mansoor are the two contenders for that seat.

GEOFF WEST lives in Costa Mesa.