A local mayor in Southern California blasted a controversial proposal that would reportedly see county officials partner with Mexico to expand legal support for immigrants facing deportation.
Bill Wells, theRepublican mayor of El Cajon, blasted theSan DiegoCounty Board of Supervisors ahead of a key vote Tuesday on whether to formalize a partnership with the Mexican Consulate.
“Our County government, the one you pay for, wants to team up with a foreign consulate to help people stay here who broke federal law to get here. Not legal immigrants. Not citizens who are struggling. People who entered illegally,”hewrote on X Monday.
At issue is a proposal to expand immigrant legal defense services and “Know Your Rights” resources through agreements with the consulate — an effort county officials say is aimed at ensuring due process as federal immigration enforcement ramps up.
Wells, however, is framing the move as a misuse of taxpayer dollars, calling the proposal “crazy.”
“This isn’t compassion. It’s a county government picking a fight with the feds, on your dime, alongside another country,” he added.
The proposal comes as immigration enforcement activity has increased across the region, pulling more families into detention and removal proceedings — often without legal representation.
Individuals in immigration court do not have a constitutional right to an attorney, a gap that can significantly affect outcomes,according to the agenda.
Nearly two-thirds of individuals represented through the program who reached a decision in their cases were granted relief by a judge, according to data from county’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program. By contrast, only about 5% of those without legal representation achieved similar outcomes.
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