Council weighs denouncing Trump policies
The Santa Fe City Council will consider what could be a controversial resolution Wednesday that denounces many of Presidentelect Donald Trump’s policies, from his proposal to build a wall along the Mexican border to his plans to gut the Affordable Care Act.
“President-elect Trump has made threats to sanctuary cities such as the city of Santa Fe [and] espouses beliefs that are contrary to and undermine our community values,” states the resolution, which is being sponsored by Councilors Joseph Maestas and Renee Villarreal.
The resolution affirms many of Santa Fe’s community values, including the right to a “living wage,” efforts to fight global warming, and immigrant and women’s rights.
“The city of Santa Fe will continue to be a sanctuary city that protects and values immigrants as part of the unique fabric of our community,” the resolution states.
The resolution is nonbinding but calls for a copy to be provided to U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, New Mexico’s congressional leaders, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and state senators and representatives who represent Santa Fe.
City Councilor Chris Rivera said he still hasn’t decided whether he will vote in favor of the resolution. He said there are a number of things he doesn’t “quite like about it.”
“The version that I saw had the president-elect’s name in it,” he said. “It was specific to Donald Trump, and I don’t think it needs to be personal like that. If city wants to reaffirm what it did back in ’99 [when it adopted a sanctuary city policy], that’s fine. But I’m not so sure that it has to be so personal.”
The council will consider the resolution during Wednesday’s 5 p.m. session. The meeting is in the council chambers at City Hall, 200 Lincoln Ave.