San Jose continues to strengthen protections for its immigrant communities by prohibiting federal immigration agents from hiding their identity and advancing plans to prevent ICE from using city-owned properties for enforcement. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously for both policies on Tuesday. The city attorney created an unmasking policy that prohibits all law enforcement...
Santa Clara County remains on guard despite ICE reprieve
South Bay civic leaders said they remain ready to support the region’s immigrant community after news broke Thursday morning that President Donald Trump is backing off plans to surge federal law enforcement personnel in the Bay Area. “They’ve made the right decision. Our region is on the rise,” Mayor Matt Mahan said during the news...
San Jose looks to ban ICE from using city-owned properties
San Jose leaders are pushing to identify all city-owned properties and develop a plan to prohibit any federal immigration activity on them. Councilmembers Peter Ortiz, Domingo Candelas and Rosemary Kamei introduced the policy during the Rules and Open Governance Committee on Wednesday, which was unanimously approved and will be considered by the full City Council...
Santa Clara County will create ICE-free zones
Santa Clara County leaders will establish ICE-free zones throughout Silicon Valley — raising physical barriers and locking gates to prevent federal immigration agents from unlawfully using county properties for surveillance and arrests. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to follow Chicago’s lead and create an inventory of vacant lots, garages and other county-owned spaces...
San Jose ICE arrest prompts calls for better immigrant protections
San Jose officials are calling for stronger protections to immigrant communities after a federal agent in plain clothes arrested a man at an employment center. Rose Amador, retiring CEO of nonprofit ConXión to Community which runs the employment center, said a U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agent walked in Tuesday and identified himself as...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County to coordinate response against ICE raids
Santa Clara County’s resistance to federal immigration crackdowns is about to get more organized. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to explore shifting county personnel and forming a county-coordinated regional response to ICE raids and residents facing deportation. It comes as county leaders have put $13 million since December into deportation legal defense and...
San Jose official wants ICE agents to wear identification
One San Jose official wants to unmask federal immigration officers when they conduct operations in the city. District 5 Councilmember Peter Ortiz is proposing a policy that would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to wear identification. The policy notes masked ICE agents and people impersonating them pose threats to public safety. Ortiz...
Democrats say masked ICE agents could create bigger safety issues
The Trump administration says hiding immigration agents’ identities, including by wearing masks, keeps them safe. But critics say it’s a recipe for confusion that escalates the risk of injury for officers and the public. Armed, plainclothes agents with covered faces are taking on a bigger role in the Trump administration’s efforts to meet a 3,000-a-day...
Santa Clara County immigrants are self-deporting
Across Santa Clara County, a new phenomenon is happening: immigrants are choosing to self-deport. It’s something immigration attorney Richard Hobbs has never seen in his 35-year career. There’s only been two people so far who have contacted his office to inform him of their decision — but Hobbs said other attorneys have told him people...
Santa Clara County growers unclear about ICE policy
South County growers are walking a tightrope between trusting the Trump administration to support them while hoping their workers aren’t caught in ICE raids. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in East San Jose have led to concerns about whether immigrant farmworkers will feel safe enough to work during the approaching harvest season, namely...