ICE has no activity in Sonoma County evacuation centers
As many Sonoma County residents left their homes under mandatory and advisory evacuation, there are some residents that questioned whether it was safe to seek shelter at the evacuation centers due to their immigration status.
Local authorithies have made it clear that all residents—no matter their immigration status—will be accepted at the shelters. According to Sonoma County's official website, “no identification is needed to stay at an evacuation center, and government agencies such as ICE, do not have access to the shelters”.
At a press conference at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Sonoma County District 4 Supervisor, James Gore addressed the issue: “The only thing that this time compared to two years ago that has given me a lot of encouragement is that there wasn’t a lot of trust with the communities who speak Spanish as a first language in using the shelters, and to use the counties resources. The organization Corazón Healdsburg did a really good job and we are seeing that it’s better this time.
"We are here to come together as a community. We are not here to divide ourselves or use a crisis to create barriers,” said Gore. U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, standing next to fellow Northern California Rep. Mike Thompson, emphasized that wildfire evacuees should seek shelter and services without fear of immigration enforcement action.
The Department of Homeland Security on Friday issued a statement that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection would not conduct immigration enforcement actions associated with wildfire-related evacuations or sheltering, “except in the event of a serious public safety threat.”
Huffman, speaking amid evacuation orders affecting about 185,000 Sonoma County residents, reiterated that “everyone seeking services and shelter from the immigrant community should do so with confidence that there will not be immigration enforcement activity.”
Santa Rosa
-Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building
1351 Maple Ave, Santa Rosa CA 95404
-Sonoma County Fairgrounds Finley Hall/Grace
1350 Bennett Valley Rd, Santa Rosa CA
Petaluma
-Calvary Chapel Church
1955 South McDowell Blvd, Petaluma CA 94954
-Iglesia Cristiana
1129 Industrial Ave #104, Petaluma CA 94954
New Life Church Petaluma
1315 Rand Street, Petaluma CA 94954
-Petaluma Community Center
320 N. McDowell Blvd, Petaluma CA 94954
-Petaluma Veterans Building
1094 Petaluma Blvd S, Petaluma CA 94952
-Muir Memory Care
750 N. McDowell Blvd, Petaluma CA 94954
Napa
-CrossWalk Community Church Napa
-Napa Valley Expo
San Francisco
-St. Mary’s Cathedral
1111 Gough St, San Francisco CA 94109
The following shelters are currently at capacity for evacuees:
Petaluma
-Petaluma Valley Baptist Church
580 Sonoma Mountain Pkwy, Petaluma CA 94954
-Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma
100 Fairgrounds Dr, Petaluma CA
San Rafael
-Marin County Fairgrounds
10 Ave of the Flags, San Rafael
Napa
-Napa Valley College
2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa CA 94558
The following shelters are open for large animals:
Petaluma
-Alameda County Fairgrounds
4501 Pleasanton Ave, Pleasanton CA 94566
Pleasanton
-Petaluma Fairgrounds
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Reach La Prensa Sonoma’s Editor Ricardo Ibarra at 707-526-8501 or email ricardo.ibarra@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ricardibarra.