City charges sanctuary church for police services

City charges sanctuary church for police services
Mayor called congregation irresponsible for 'harboring an illegal immigrant'

The city of Simi Valley is sending a $40,000 invoice to the church that was the site of a weekend protest over its sheltering of an illegal immigrant.

The bill for $39,306 is the preliminary pricetag for police services at the protest Sunday at the United Church of Christ. The protest brought out about 125 anti-illegal immigration activists and counter-protestors.

The city wants the church to pay for services provided by the Simi Valley Police Department and mutual aid from the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

Mayor Paul Miller told the council Monday night that he's ready to send out the bill to the church to recoup the cost. He called church members irresponsible for "harboring an illegal immigrant."

"This City Council has the obligation to protect all citizens in the community against any potential violence as a result of these ill-conceived actions," Miller said.

The protest was organized by an anti-illegal immigration group called Save Our State, who came with the hopes of making a citizen's arrest of an illegal immigrant, Liliana, and her infant son. The church has offered sanctuary to the family, and they have been living there for several weeks.

There was a small but loud group of counter protesters calling for amnesty and the end of deportation raids. Adding to the dynamic were about nine skinheads who tried to join the Save Our State group, but were rejected and then directed by police to their own section of sidewalk.

Police Chief Mike Lewis gave a report to the council. His preliminary cost estimate includes over 500 police staff hours at $35,744; 47 hours of Public Works staff hours, at $1,271; 22 hours of transportation, at $647, and about $1,654 for items like food and water for staff.