Victorville City Council met a rowdy audience at the March 3 council meeting to discuss the potential removal of Victorville Planning Commissioner Derek Marshall for participating in an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest.
The demonstration was organized by Victor Valley High School on Friday, Feb. 13, and concluded at the Victorville City Hall.
After tens of public comments for and against Marshall’s removal — some from high school students who marched with the commissioner — and multiple calls to order from Mayor Elizabeth Becerra to tame the audience, there was no motion for the item, and Marshall will keep his position on the Victorville Planning Commission.
The discussion was agendized by Mayor Pro Tem Bob Harriman, who faced backlash from the March 3 crowd at the mention of ICE, forcing him to stop short and the council to take a 10-minute break before continuing the discussion.
Victorville residents were audibly angry as they were cleared to the hallway before the council returned to continue the discussion.
The council double-checked if there were speakers in the hallway only after Harriman’s speech, in which he stated he “had no problem with the students protesting.” What he did take issue with, however, was ending the demonstration at city hall and having it locked down for safety purposes.
“[Marshall] violated an oath of office we all take as public officials to uphold all laws. Because he did it at City Hall, our residents can’t distinguish the difference between him acting as a private resident or a public official,” Harriman added.
In the end, Harriman stated he did not believe it necessary to remove Marshall from the planning commission, but instead, communicated to him that “his behavior was very inappropriate, violated our code of conduct, and more importantly, divided our community instead of attempting to unite our community.”
No council members voted to move the item and instead took the opportunity to educate residents and appointed officials about codes of municipal ethics.
“I’m happy that the city council listened to the voices of their community,” Marshall told the Daily Press. “This very important decision became much bigger than me. It was about the First Amendment rights of all of us who live in the High Desert.” He says that the March 3 meeting was an important civic lesson “for those on city council who initiated the controversy.”
The Victorville council’s remarks
Councilmember Corrine Mora and Becerra condemned Marshall’s participation in the protest as “inappropriate” on dias, stating that the action restricted Victorville residents’ access to pay their utilities in person at city hall on the day of the protest.
Mora added that the job of nonpartisan elected and appointed officials is to make residents’ lives easier, not the contrary.
Additionally, Harriman mentioned that city representatives are not able to take a public position on an issue unless it has been voted on by the council.
The reason Becerra was able to participate in a peaceful protest with Silverado High School in her role as a public official to oppose the development of a drug and alcohol treatment facility on Jan. 13 was that the city voted to take a position against the development prior to the protest.
“Marshall has misled our residents into believing we have a position on the federal government’s immigration policy. We do not,” Becerra said, further questioning Marshall’s motives to hold office.
Federal policy concerning federal immigration enforcement is not only partisan, but it is also outside the city’s jurisdiction, meaning they have no legal ability as a city to enforce or interfere with federal policy.
Councilwoman Leslie Irving found nothing amiss with Marshall’s actions and stated her opposition to his removal.
Claims of campaign opposition
Marshall says he joined the walkout as a “private citizen” and not as a representative from the planning commission. He told the Daily Press that the attempt to remove him is politically motivated, as he and Harriman intend to run for the District 4 seat in the November election.
Harriman was elected to the council in November 2022 as the District 4 representative, a four-year term, and appointed to the mayor pro tem position in January 2024.
His seat is up for re-election this November, along with the District 2 seat that Corrine Mora filled in December 2025 after former Councilwoman Debra Jones stepped down from the role due to a “family crisis” in October.
He has not publicly announced a campaign.
The nomination period for the November 2026 election opens July 13, according to Victorville Public Information Officer Sue Jones. This is when candidates pull and file the official paperwork to seek election on the Victorville City Council. Because the nomination period has not opened, the city has yet to receive nomination papers from any candidates intending to run for Victorville City Council.
McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Victorville planning commissioner keeps seat after anti-ICE protest backlash
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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