Council members, school officials, politicians, the mayor-elect, immigrants' rights activists, and Dreamers gathered to reaffirm Berkeley's committment to providing protection to undocumented immigrants.
Tuesday's event was in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to withdraw federal funding from cities that don't turn over people without papers to immigration authorities. There are more than 300 sanctuary cities around the country, including San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, and Los Angeles.
The city council first declared Berkeley to be a "city of refuge" in 1971. Council members plan to discuss another resolution reaffirming that status at its next meeting.
Mayor-elect Jesse Arreguin said that instead of building walls, as Trump has promised during the presidential campaign, Berkeley would tear walls down. He said protecting immigrants wouldn't affect how police enforce other laws.
