A motion to appoint an ad hoc committee focused on immigration matters failed because of an evenly divided Santa Maria City Council, prompting angry outbursts from the audience and shouts of “Shame on you.”

The council heard more than an hour of public comments supporting Councilwoman Gloria Soto’s suggestion to create the committee. 

However, with Soto and Councilwoman Maribel Aguilera-Hernandez voting in favor and Mayor Alice Patino and Councilwoman Gloria Flores opposed, the tie vote meant the motion failed. 

They had only four members since Councilman Carlos Escobedo abruptly resigned and left shortly after the start of the meeting.

Following the vote, as the council moved to the next item, audience members reacted in anger, shouting from their seats, “Ridiculous” and “Can we vote for Carlos?”

“Yes, you are out of order,” the mayor told one shouter.

“Shame on you,” one person shouted as multiple audience members then repeated the phrase.

“We will be back. We are not giving up,” a woman said.

As the shouting continued and audience members refused calls to come to order, several renewed their complaints that they couldn’t hear council members. As the shouting continued, Patino declared a five-minute recess before the meeting resumed.

Unlike many public meetings for other agencies, audience members are allowed to cheer and clap during Santa Maria council sessions. Other agencies require silent support such as waving hands or snapping fingers to reduce disruptions and avoid intimidating someone with a different view.

On Tuesday, audience applause after the speakers often drowned out the mayor’s reading of the names for the speaker lineup.

After hearing the public comments, the mayor re-read a city statement first released months ago, restating that the Police Department does not enforce immigration laws or participate in federal actions.

“Your immigration status does not affect how our city treats or serves you, and we will not ask about your immigration status,” the mayor said. 

For months, Soto and community members have urged the council to take significant action to show support for the immigrant community in the Santa Maria Valley.

Soto said she envisioned that the committee would have two council members along with staff support and a community advisor.

Specifically, she said the panel’s purpose would be to review the city’s policies and practices regarding immigration, assess impacts on Santa Maria residents and institutions, develop a recommendation to clarify use of city resources to strengthen community trust and more.

Additionally, the committee would seek details from the Department of Homeland Security regarding communications with the city and the Police Department plus hold a Know Your Rights workshop and allow nonprofit committees to use city buildings at little or not cost.

Approximately two dozen people, spanning from students to senior citizens, urged the council to approve the committee’s formation as a first step.

“If established, this committee could discuss potential action items and resolutions the city could take to protect our community,” said Mayra Lopez, a junior high school student.

“We are the biggest city in SB County with Latino immigrants. Yet, the council has failed our community,” she said, adding that the community needs to feel safe. 

Several speakers said the Santa Maria Valley has seen 435 “kidnappings” by Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents.

Santa Maria resident Fernando Martinez said Oxnard’s mayor held a stakeholder meeting focused on immigration matters. 

“This is not a radical idea. This is a very practical idea,” Martinez said. “Any city would take initiative to address needs that affect their community. Immigration is a big topic, and there are things that you can do within your control.”

Michelle Ambriz, CAUSE policy advocate and volunteer for 805 UndocuFund, said the committee should uplift voices of the immigrant community, serving as a space to proactively create solutions to the crisis affecting many families.

“Given that Santa Maria has been the most impacted, protecting and supporting your immigrant constituents should not be controversial or this difficult,” Ambriz added.