Declaration of The Monterey County, California Supervisors

WHEREAS, the Constitution is considered the supreme legal document
of the nation and organizes our federal government into a democratic
republic, creating a nation such that no person or group is above the
law, and

WHEREAS, the foundational organizing structure of such government is
laid out in Articles 1 through 3 of the U.S Constitution comprising 1) the
Legislative branch, 2) the Executive branch, and 3) the Judicial branch,
such that these three branches comprise a balance of authorities and
powers so that no single person, nor group of people, nor single branch
of government will aIain superseding powers over the other branches
of government, and

WHEREAS, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights grant certain rights
and freedoms to the nation’s citizenry and all peoples residing within
its boundaries, and among these are the 1st) Freedom of Speech and
Assembly, 4th) Protection against illegal search and seizure, and 5th) Due
Process of Law, and

WHEREAS, the Supervisors of Monterey County have sworn an oath to
preserve, protect and defend the Cons0tu0on to the United States of
America, and

WHEREAS, approximately one-third of Monterey County residents are
foreign-born, and

WHEREAS, Monterey County depends on 55,000 farmworkers to
harvest the approximately $4.3 billion in crops that Monterey County
produces annually, and

WHEREAS, approximately 67,000 residents in Monterey County are
unauthorized, and

WHEREAS, many targeted by the Trump administra0on for mass
deporta0on were deemed “essential workers” during the Covid
epidemic, putting themselves at risk in order to produce our food, or
keep transportation and health care facilities running, and

WHEREAS, 40 percent of Salinas children have at least one parent who
resides in this county without authorization, and

WHEREAS, the current and future economy of Monterey County is
jeopardized when fear of detention prevents workers from going to
work or students from attending school, and

WHEREAS, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors adopted a
resolution in January of 2025 declaring Monterey County a “welcoming
county of immigrants and refugees” and declared the county a “place of
trust and safety for immigrants”, and

WHEREAS, President Trump and his administration have repeatedly
demonstrated their clear attempts and usurpations for the
unconstitutional consolidation of power by Executive orders and willful
misdeeds such as, but not limited to: demonstrating a pattern of
assuming the du0es and powers of the Legislative Branch, including the
freezing of federal spending approved by Congress, the shuttering of
federal agencies without congressional consent, the unilateral
declaration of tariffs, and the launching of military strikes in Iran
without congressional consent or consultation; and

WHEREAS, The Executive Branch has additionally violated rights,
included but not limited to, the infringement of due process rights
granted to all persons residing in the United States, including immigrants and refugees; disobeyed court rulings overturning such
viola0ons; deployed the military against domestic civilians; threatened
and brought illegal deportations; prosecuted residents based on
poli0cal views despite guaranteed first amendment rights; unlawfully
misused law enforcement and the military for political purposes and
in0mida0on; while additionally unilaterally abusing its power to assault
the intent of the Constitution to insure the domestic tranquility,
promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to
ourselves and to our posterity.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED That the Elected Supervisors of
Monterey County do hereby:

1. Urge all members of the California Federal Congressional delegation,
regardless of party affiliation, to reclaim and exercise their lawful
authority empowered under Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution, and to
demonstrate in all actions that the United States of America has no
king.

2. Support the State of California Attorney General’s office to work with
the judicial branch of the federal government to restore the separation
of powers, to ensure that illegal or unconstitutional acts, including acts
of corruption, are overturned; and, to pursue legal action against the
federal Executive branch, as necessary and as it has been pursued in the
past when the Executive has violated its constitutional duties and
assumes powers not authorized to it under Article 2.

3. Direct the County Sheriff’s office to withhold its support
from warrantless, masked, and anonymous federal immigration
activities and operations which violate due process of citizens, residents
and visitors to Monterey Country under the provisions and protections of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

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