Sanctuary City Declared

The City Council voted last week to formally declare Hayward a sanctuary city, adopting a resolution that no municipal resources or personnel may be used to administer or enforce U.S. immigration laws.

The resolution declaring Hayward an immigrant sanctuary affirms our city's commitment to equal treatment of all individuals without consideration of immigration status as enshrined in the U.S. and California constitutions.

It also affirms law enforcement policies already in place at the Hayward Police Department whereby officers do not seek to determine the immigration status of people with whom they come in contact. Officers also do not detain individuals on suspicion of violating immigration laws—or for the purposes of notifying federal immigration officials of potential immigration violations.

“Fostering a relationship of trust, respect and open communication between city officials and residents is essential to the city’s mission,” states the resolution, which notes that Hayward is one of California’s most diverse cities with nearly four in 10 of its residents being foreign born.

The resolution, passed unanimously by the Council on June 6, was prepared at the request of a 20-member Community Task Force formed by the Council in January over concern about the local impact of the presidential directives on immigration enforcement.