Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson has asked Long Beach Transit to update its protocols regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) boarding local buses, following a memo the agency sent to its employees that caused community blowback.
Long Beach Transit President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth McDonald said in a statement to the Signal Tribune on Wednesday night that he acknowledges the “uncertainty surrounding the intent” of the June 23 memo.
“I apologize for any confusion caused by my memo,” McDonald said in his statement. “At LBT, our mission — connecting communities and moving people to make everyday life better — underscores our commitment to delivering safe, reliable, and customer-focused service. I am proud to have signed on to the Long Beach Values Act and stand in solidarity with our city partners and the communities we serve.”
The memo sent on June 23 told employees they “must not attempt to block or disrupt” federal agents if they attempt to enter their workspaces. The protocols for if ICE tries to enter a workspace or public transit, as listed in the letter, included calling various supervisors and security.
The Signal Tribune reported on July 3 that Long Beach Transit employees were not trained to verify if a person is law enforcement, and were instructed to allow them on and wait until Transit Police arrived to decide the “nature of the activity.”
Following community blowback, and a call from ÓRALE (Organizing Rooted in Abolition, Liberation and Empowerment) to stop riding Long Beach Transit buses, Mayor Richardson asked the agency on Wednesday morning to change these policies.
“As a regional transit agency that serves a diverse population of half a million residents, it is imperative that LBT continue taking these steps to cultivate an inclusive, safe and welcoming environment for all of its customers, regardless of background or immigration status,” the letter from Richardson to LB Transit reads.
The mayor asked Long Beach Transit to make the following changes:
- Post “Know Your Rights” information on every bus, on bus stops wherever possible and in any other areas highly visible by passengers and employees. This information must be in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog.
- Have “Know Your Rights” cards on buses that residents can take, in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog.
- Provide updated, clear and comprehensive protocols consistent with the Long Beach Values Act and federal law, that inform Long Beach Transit agency staff on what to do in the event that federal law or immigrant enforcement agents enter their workplaces.
- Clarify what protocols Long Beach Transit agency staff should follow in the event that federal law or immigrant enforcement agents enter a public bus (e.g., requesting appropriate identification or court orders) consistent with state and federal law, the Long Beach Values Act, and relevant guidance from the American Civil Liberties Union.
Richardson’s letter was sent to McDonald and Board of Directors Chair Abigail Mejia. It also acknowledges the letter Long Beach Transit sent on June 20, formally supporting the Long Beach Values Act and agreeing to comply with its guidelines.
Long Beach Transit will announce updated policies on Friday regarding what employees should do if federal agents arrive at buses or other workspaces, according to McDonald’s statement sent to the Signal Tribune.
The statement also confirms that Long Beach Transit has not experienced any ICE or federal enforcement interactions in its workspaces as of July 9.
The Long Beach Values Act guarantees that the City, its departments and several public agencies will not give residents’ personal information to immigration enforcement. However, for a public facing agency like Long Beach Transit, the Values Act does not provide any direction on how to handle in-person interactions with ICE.
Last week, ÓRALE told the Signal Tribune that at least a dozen Long Beach residents have been taken by ICE in the last month. On Monday, the nonprofit’s defense network reported someone was detained by ICE on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and 10th Street. On Tuesday, another person was taken by ICE on Seventh Street and Chestnut Avenue, ÓRALE reported.
In May, Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) created their own policies that builds upon the Long Beach Values Act. Following pressure from the community, the board moved to bar ICE from entering LBUSD campuses without a valid warrant, and created a protocol that does not permit teachers to give information about students to officers unless court-ordered.
UPDATE: LB Transit will share their updated policies Monday, instead of the initially planned Friday. This decision is “to ensure the guidance is accurate, comprehensive, and fully aligned with the Long Beach Values Act,” LB Transit told the Signal Tribune.
Thank you, Mayor Richardson for calling on LB Transit to uphold the rights and dignity of all riding the bus. The Chair of LBT Board of Directors, Chair Mejia, decried the the LBT’s CEO calling for bus drivers to readily allow drivers to welcome federal law enforcement onto buses, saying it was “kidnapping” at the last Board of Directors Meeting. A clear, decisive policy is needed now by LBT!