Hawaii County Council advances resolution in response to ICE enforcement
A resolution affirming
Hawaii County’s commitment to constitutional rights, multiculturalism and protections for immigrants advanced Tuesday after the County Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs voted unanimously to send the measure to the full
Council.
Council member Ashley Kierkiewicz was excused from the 8-0 vote.
Resolution 320-25, introduced by Council member Michelle Galimba, calls on county agencies and officials to uphold the constitutional rights of all residents, regardless of immigration status. It reaffirms the island’s multicultural heritage and immigrant history while urging the county to take specific actions to protect civil liberties.
The nonbinding resolution asks the mayor to review all current and future agreements between the county and both public and private partners to ensure they align with the U.S. and Hawaii constitutions. It also requests that the Hawaii Police Department limit its involvement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to cases involving criminal activity, and avoid assisting with civil immigration enforcement.
Galimba said the measure is especially important for rural agricultural areas like her district, which includes Ka‘u, parts of South Kona, and Volcano.
“District 6 is very agricultural. Very much coffee-based, a big part of the economy is based on the coffee industry and they are being very directly impacted by these ICE actions,” she said during Tuesday’s committee meeting.
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She also noted the timeliness of the resolution, pointing out that the county soon will be hiring a new police chief.
Testifiers filled the council chambers and submitted written comments in support of the measure, citing a growing need to reaffirm the rights of all people on Hawaii island amid changing immigration policies and federal enforcement trends.
Council member Heather Kimball voiced concern over how the immigration system is functioning nationally.
“I believe that bureaucracy in the courts will save us, but even I am beginning to lose hope in some cases with respect to the immigration issue,” she said.
Kimball also asked whether the county could consider restrictions similar to a new California law that prevents ICE agents from wearing masks during enforcement actions, or whether that kind of policy must be handled at the state level.
Council member Jennifer Kagiwada pointed to federal data showing that ICE is seeking to expand its presence in Hawaii through 287(g) agreements, which
enable local law enforcement to assist with federal immigration enforcement. A 1996 law, 287(g) lets ICE give local police permission to help with certain immigration enforcement duties, under ICE’s supervision.
“There are four tiny little states — us being one of them — that are in white (on the ICE website) and what it says for those is ‘ICE is actively pursuing 287(g) agreements in these places,’ so I do think this is absolutely necessary,” Kagiwada said.
The map on ICE.gov shows where local law enforcement has agreements with ICE to help with immigration enforcement. States shown in white have no such agreements.
Kagiwada also raised
concerns about unequal access to immigration support services across the island. She recommended the county explore placing an immigration liaison on the Kona side, noting that only Hilo currently has such a resource. She suggested hiring someone who speaks Spanish and can assist local farmers in obtaining proper documentation.
Community members also voiced strong support for the resolution.
Nancy Moser, who attended the meeting on
Tuesday, told the Hawaii
Tribune-Herald the resolution reflects a broader call to action.
“We’re directing ourselves to look at all of the current and future agreements between public partners, private partners and our county,” Moser said.
In written testimony, longtime community advocate Patti Cook of Waimea emphasized the resolution’s
importance.
“This resolution serves a valuable, timely public purpose of helping to inform and remind us all of our extremely valuable collective rights and that these are not ordinary times — we must do everything possible to protect these rights for all of the people of Hawaii Island,” Cook wrote.
The full County Council is expected to consider Resolution 320-25 in the coming weeks.
