Two California Democrats in Congress are trying to keep Vallejo's best-known ship out of the deportation business. On Tuesday, Oct. 27, Reps. John Garamendi of Vallejo and Salud Carbajal of Santa Barbara wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, KQED and the Vallejo Sun report. Their letter says a reported plan to deport migrants by sea "is outrageous and should be immediately discarded."
The ship
The Golden Bear is the 500-foot training vessel of the Cal Poly Maritime Academy in Vallejo. It's docked at Mare Island and has trained cadets for three decades. KQED reports it is set to go back to the U.S. Maritime Administration as the academy moves to a new training ship in the coming months. Garamendi says the ship recently returned from a three-month training cruise.
The reported plan
Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that the Homeland Security and Defense departments are considering using ships to deport migrants to Central and South America. The Times identified the Golden Bear as one possible vessel. Homeland Security had not responded to KQED's request for comment by press time.
What the lawmakers say
The letter calls using the ship "as a floating prison" a "dangerous misuse of government and taxpayer property." It says relocating people by sea would raise "enormous operational, safety and legal challenges." "An airplane is expensive enough. A ship is several times more expensive," Garamendi told KQED. He told the Vallejo Sun he would use "every lever of oversight" to stop the plan. Both congressmen are senior members of the House Armed Services Committee.
Local context
Vallejo police records cited by the Vallejo Sun show the department knew of at least 21 ICE operations in the city last year.