To further expand protections for residents regardless of immigration status, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors will consider tightening its restrictions on the use of county resources to assist or cooperate with federal immigration enforcement — including notification of any interaction with ICE within 24 hours and ongoing quarterly reports.
At the upcoming board meeting Tuesday, supervisors Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller are presenting a new ordinance that will clarify its protections of its residents in response to public fear and safety concerns, according to a staff report.
“Increased immigration enforcement in San Mateo County and throughout California has caused fear, displacement, and loss of work and class time among immigrant families,” according to a staff report. “The Board recognizes that uncertainty about enforcement activities harms community trust and engagement, particularly among residents who rely on County services.”
One aspect of the ordinance affirms that the Sheriff’s Office and its deputies must act in compliance with Senate Bill 627, authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. The bill, signed into law in September, prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings.
“The federal government’s use of personnel who lack visible identification has led to confusion and fear among community members,” according to a staff report. “Ensuring that law enforcement officers are visibly identifiable promotes public safety, accountability and trust.”
If passed, the ordinance will also establish a reporting framework of immigration enforcement.
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The sheriff and chief probation officer will submit quarterly reports to the Board of Supervisors detailing the number of retainer requests received from immigration authorities, any communications made by the department to immigration authorities, and any enforcement actions observed within the county. The information will be published on the Sheriff’s Office website.
All county departments will be required to report any direct interactions with immigration authorities to the County Executive Office within 24 hours. County Executive Mike Callagy will then maintain a log of these reports and detail their findings to the Board of Supervisors.
“This process enhances transparency and ensures that the Board and the public receive clear, consistent and timely communication about immigration enforcement activity,” according to the staff report.
County policy already prohibits the use of county resources to assist or cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, but an amendment clarifies that immigration authorities are also prohibited from using county property “as a staging area or operational base for federal enforcement actions,” according to the staff report.
The ordinance also clarifies that federal immigration authorities are prohibited from accessing the county’s firearms range at Coyote Point Park without judicial warrant, to make sure county facilities are not used to support training immigration authorities.
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