FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Robert Villegas, Communications Advisor
Office of Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento
Robert.Villegas@ocgov.com, (714) 673-4575
Emma Fisher, Communications Director
Office of Chair Doug Chaffee
Emma.Fisher@ocgov.com, 714-834-3440
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONSIDERS RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF US CITIZEN CHILDREN FROM MIXED-STATUS IMMIGRANT FAMILIES
The resolution addresses issues arising from family separation.
Santa Ana, Calif. (March 4, 2025) – Introduced by Second District Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento and Chair of the Board Doug Chaffee, the resolution, scheduled to be heard at the March 11 meeting, recognizes the rights of U.S. citizen children who face the possibility of family separation.
“This resolution highlights the fact that children born in the United States to immigrant parents are U.S. citizens, a right enshrined in the Constitution’s 14th amendment, and as such, have the right to live free from fear and discrimination, and receive the protections and opportunities to which all citizens are entitled,” said Supervisor Sarmiento.
The resolution further acknowledges the County’s duty to ensure the safety of children who could be left parentless. “It is simply a reality that children separated from their parents could be left without any support and will require the intervention from the county to ensure their well-being,” said Char Doug Chaffee. “It is our responsibility to keep them safe.”
When a minor is left to fend for themselves, for whatever reason, they are considered to be an abandoned child and are referred to social services. The agency will then try to find relatives or any prior guardianship arrangements made by the parents to place the child. However, when the child has no immediate family and no plans are in place, the county’s social service agency becomes responsible for placing the child, whether in foster care or at a group facility.
“No matter what one’s position is regarding immigration laws or enforcement, we should not allow the rights of U.S. citizen children to be eroded, based on their parents’ immigration status,” concluded Sarmiento. “Separating children from their parents is traumatic for the children and creates real legal and other issues for the county. We cannot afford to be unprepared or caught flat-footed on this clearly foreseeable issue; that would be shameful.”
The resolution also asks county agencies to return to the Board and provide a report regarding the county’s readiness to address the issue of family separation. The report would include what plans are set up to place the children and what additional support may be available for them.
Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in November 2022. He represents the Second District, which includes Santa Ana and portions of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Orange, and Tustin. For additional information, visit https://d2.ocgov.com/supervisor.
Supervisor Doug Chaffee serves as Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. He represents the county’s Fourth District, which includes the Cities of Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, Placentia, Stanton, portions of Anaheim, and unincorporated communities. For additional information, visit https://d4.ocgov.com.