Phoenix City Council votes to rename César Chávez Day, restrict ICE use of city property

In front of a packed room on Wednesday, Phoenix City Council voted on two measures addressing community concerns over new allegations against prominent labor leader César Chávez and immigration enforcement operations.

The first unanimously initiated the process of renaming César Chávez Day and other pieces of city property bearing his name. It comes in the wake of a multi-year investigation by the New York Times that detailed troubling claims of sexual abuse carried out by Chávez. 

The report included gut-wrenching testimonies from multiple women, including revered farmworker activist Dolores Huerta. For many years, Chávez served as the face of the farmworker movement despite controversy surrounding his legacy. Earlier reports also documented negative attitudes toward immigrants without legal status, including autonomous efforts to patrol the Arizona-Mexico border.

“We must recognize the reality that even those that we tend to honor are capable of causing real harm and lasting harm,” said Councilwoman Anna Hernandez. 

The vote officially changed the upcoming March 31 holiday to Farmworker’s Day, intended to honor the movement as a whole. The change only applies to this year while the council decides on a permanent name change.

“The movement was never about one person,” Councilwoman Laura Pastor said. “The movement will live on and grow from this.”

The second measure, touted as the Community Transparency Initiative, passed 8-1, with Councilman Jim Waring of District 2 casting the sole no vote. He did not explain the reasoning behind his decision.

The initiative establishes regulations restricting civil law enforcement, including immigration authorities, from using city-owned and city-controlled property for staging or operational purposes without prior approval from the city. It would also track the impact of ICE operations on communities, expand immigration resources, improve language access and provide educational services such as “Know Your Rights” training to city staff. 

Additionally, it would create a system through the Office of Accountability and Transparency for residents to file complaints against federal immigration enforcement.

The measure marks one of the city’s most concrete actions taken following community pressure regarding ICE activity in the city. It follows a Feb. 10 incident where protesters shut down a council work session meant to discuss the initiative, demanding more immediate action with community input.

After a series of listening sessions held in response to the protests, city staff moved quickly to develop an updated plan.

“I’ll be real with y’all, our city has been slow to move on getting ready for Trump and ICE,” Hernandez said. “Yet, the community showed up to push us.”

Dozens of community members spoke in support, though many emphasized that the measure is only a stepping stone to further action. Deacon Judy Eighmey, a leader with Valley Interfaith Project, delivered emotional testimony on behalf of a family separated by ICE operations.

“The Community Transparency Initiative you’re considering today is not a silver bullet for the issues facing Phoenix families,” she said, “but it is a vital first step.”

Harrison Redmond, a Phoenix civil rights advocate, also expressed support but raised concerns about gaps in the policy, including its carveout for airports. His concern stems from the Trump administration’s decision to deploy ICE agents to airports across the country, including Sky Harbor.

In response to a question from Hernandez, he also said that Phoenix must address how arrests by Phoenix Police Department can funnel people directly into ICE custody.

“A ban on ICE staging will mean little if Phoenix PD continues to hand people over to ICE once they're booked,” Redmond said. 

While most spoke in support, some voiced opposition. Retired police officer Ben Halloran argued the initiative will further impede ICE operations.

“Federal officers are far too often harassed, obstructed and assaulted,” he said. “This regulation only increases the stress and danger faced by ICE officers.”

Another speaker called it a “misallocation of funds” that should be directed toward citizens who have been victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. He also said cities like Minnesota have faced preventable harm from policies that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

After more than three hours of discussion and public comment, the city's near-unanimous vote led to an eruption of applause.

In a statement to CALÓ News after the meeting, Pastor said it “was a collective effort shaped by residents, community groups and advocates who spoke up and pushed us to do more.”

Andrea Luna Cervantes, the Arizona campaign manager for Organized Power in Numbers, labeled her feelings as “cautiously optimistic” and emphasized the need for continued action

“We know that it's going to take much more than just these six directives to really ensure that the residents of Phoenix feel protected and safe when trying to navigate their day-to-day,” Cervantes said.

She and fellow organizers from Poder in Action and Puente Human Rights Movement ended the day with a recognizable chant.

“Ain’t no power like the power of people, because the power of the people don’t stop!”