"As immigrant raids by federal agents have ramped up this year, Bay Area residents have sought assurances from city governments and local law enforcement agencies that they will not cooperate with these efforts. Mayor Barbara Lee, for example, has reaffirmed that Oakland is a sanctuary city, which bars police from cooperating with ICE and prohibits contracts with companies that work with the agency."
"In August, FEMA's Transportation Security Grant program invited transit agencies to apply for large grants to help protect the public from "acts of terrorism." But there were strings attached. Grant recipients would be required to engage in "information sharing and collaboration" with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from program grantees. As The Oaklandside reported last month, AC Transit staff had recommended applying for the funds to cover overtime costs for security provided by the Alameda County Sheriff, but withdrew those plans after pressure from advocates and public officials."
"BART, or Bay Area Rapid Transit, was one; SFMTA, the San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority, which runs Muni, was the other. According to communications officer Alicia Trost, BART applied, as in previous years, for a grant to fund its Critical Asset Patrol team, which she said is "dedicated to patrolling our highest ridership stations to provide presence and serve as a deterrence to criminal and potential terrorist activity and the detection of suspicious activity." They sought $753,176 for this year, and the application was approved."
Immigrant raids have increased, prompting Bay Area residents to seek assurances that local governments and law enforcement will not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Oakland reaffirmed sanctuary city protections that bar police cooperation with ICE and restrict contracts with companies that work with the agency. Transit agencies set their own policies and relationships with federal authorities. FEMA's Transportation Security Grant invited transit agencies to apply for large anti-terrorism grants but required information sharing and collaboration with ICE officers. AC Transit withdrew an application after public pressure, while BART and SFMTA applied; BART received approval for a $753,176 grant for its patrol team.
Read at The Oaklandside
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