By Claire Wang
Staff Writer
Following the lead of efforts in Santa Ana and Anaheim, Costa Mesa will commit $100,000 to an assistance fund that supports families impacted by widespread immigration sweeps.
The City Council voted Tuesday, Aug. 5, to allocate money to Enough for All, a program initially founded in 2020 by several Costa Mesa churches to raise money for those impacted by the pandemic. The churches recently relaunched the fund to help cover rent, utilities and other essentials for residents who are too afraid to leave their homes because of the increased immigration enforcement efforts seen in recent months.
The City Council did not identify a source of the funding, but Mayor John Stephens said later in an interview that the money could come out of the city’s contingency fund or reserves — a decision that he said ultimately rests with the finance director.
The council, acting with unanimous support, also directed the city attorney to explore launching a legal defense fund, potentially in partnership with a legal nonprofit such as the Public Law Center.
Stephens said he initiated the funding proposal after hearing from impassioned constituents who called for concrete steps to protect undocumented residents, and reading about actions that Santa Ana and Anaheim have taken.
“If you want to see a community’s values, you look at their budget,” he said. “We need to put our money where our mouth is.”
In July, Santa Ana councilmembers approved $100,000 in funding for an emergency financial assistance program to help impacted families pay off past-due rent and utility bills. Two weeks later, Anaheim leaders pledged $250,000 for Anaheim Contigo, an immigrant relief fund the city launched in partnership with the nonprofit Anaheim Community Foundation.
Both cities are seeking to join a federal class action lawsuit challenging the immigration raids in Southern California. Costa Mesa voted Tuesday to look into participating as well.
The Costa Mesa City Council also adopted a resolution and letter in support of Senate Bill 805, the “No Vigilantes Act,” which would require law enforcement officers operating in California to visibly display identification.
Councilmember Andrea Marr asked city staff to request information from the Department of Homeland Security on enforcement activity in Costa Mesa and to explore options for tracking at-fault evictions.
“I wish there was more I could do to single-handedly constrain ICE,” Marr said. “But I mean, damn, if a city is going to take some action – this is the city I want to be a part of.”