photo credit: Noah Abrams/KRCB
The Sonoma County Administrative center and board of
supervisors chambers in Santa Rosa.

A group of faith leaders and community members have announced plans to stage a hunger strike outside the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors chambers.

Reverend Lindsey Bell-Kerr, of Santa Rosa's Christ Church United Methodist, expects over 100 people with Sonoma County's Sanctuary Coalition will join in the protest starting on August 5th.

"Starting at 9:00 a.m. we're going to start a hunger strike, and we're striking to push the Board of Supervisors to do the right thing and to pass an ordinance that would make Sonoma County a sanctuary county," Bell-Kerr said.

The Sonoma County Sheriff maintains the agency does not actively collaborate with federal immigration enforcement, but Bell-Kerr said, "right now our primary concern is that the sheriff continues to produce the names of people who are being released from jail."

"Continues to produce those for ICE, thereby setting people up to be deported," Bell-Kerr said.

The Sonoma County jail responds to around 13% of information requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Bell-Kerr and the members of the sanctuary coalition hope to see the county completely cut ties with ICE.

Asked about defending against the deportation of individuals convicted of crimes, Bell-Kerr said, "the moral character of a society is reflected on how we treat those who are most pushed to the edge of that society."

"Being an undocumented person in this country is not a criminal violation, it's a civil violation," Bell-Kerr said.

Bell-Kerr said the hunger strikers do plan to consume liquids during the ordeal, "so that'll help with any health issues."

"I tend to hydrate," Bell-Kerr said. "I also spend tend to spend some time just in meditation, [be]cause for me the hunger strike is about keeping my focus on the people for whom we're striking."

Bell-Kerr said those on hunger strike plan to camp and fast at the Sonoma County administrative center for the board of supervisors meeting on August 12th.