Federal officials say a planned ICE facility in South County will typically house about 10 detainees, according to the most detailed official statement yet released outlining the project. New court documents filed last week lay out the legal response to a lawsuit seeking to block the facility, and claim detention space will be used only...
Silicon Valley lawmaker’s playbook aims to block ICE facilities
South Bay and Peninsula leaders are seeking to sharpen their legal defenses against new federal immigration facilities by strengthening local zoning rules. Amid a nationwide multibillion dollar buildout of immigration detention centers, Silicon Valley Congressmember Sam Liccardo unveiled a policy “toolkit” Wednesday developed by his office to aid local governments hoping to forestall such facilities....
Alum Rock trustees oppose ICE facility in South County
An East San Jose school district has joined a growing effort among local education leaders in opposing a planned federal immigration facility in South County. Supporters said it reaffirms the district’s commitment to protecting immigrant students and families. The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees on Tuesday approved a resolution opposing the proposed facility in...
Legal experts weigh in on South County ICE facility lawsuit
Santa Clara County and state leaders are gearing up for legal battle to block a planned ICE facility in South County. The lawsuit filed last month by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and county officials argues the federal government has illegally bypassed environmental laws, local zoning rules and other statutes in advancing the project just east...
San Jose Japantown stages ICE facility protest
Grassroots organizers and South Bay political leaders drew together for a rally in San Jose’s Japantown Wednesday in a show of unified opposition against a planned ICE facility taking shape in South County. The rally held in front of the historic Issei Memorial Building took place as state and local leaders wage a legal battle...
Foreign student visa restrictions to hit Silicon Valley
New federal regulations will restrict how long international students can attend U.S. colleges, and schools are scrambling to work through the problem as the fall semester begins. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has finalized a rule that limits most international students on F-1 visas and J-1 exchange visitor visas to a four-year education...
Silicon Valley residents share what America means to them
Immigrants from around the world are drawn to America for the opportunity to create a better life, and Silicon Valley has been a magnet for such diversity. Whether it’s foreign-born transplants looking to hit it big in tech, families escaping persecution or searching for a fresh start — their dream is to find freedom and...
Santa Clara County immigrant network evolved into powerhouse
President Donald Trump’s mass deportations of undocumented immigrants have turbocharged local response to protect Santa Clara County residents from harm. The Rapid Response Network (RRN), a regional volunteer-based coalition providing real-time alerts of federal immigration enforcement, has more than tripled its number of responders to 3,000 people since it began nearly a decade ago. The...
Work at South County ICE facility temporarily paused
Federal authorities have agreed to temporarily pause construction work on the apparent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility taking shape in South County. The delay is the product of a procedural agreement struck in the lawsuit brought last month by Santa Clara County and California to block the project. Under the agreement, filed Monday...
South County cities pass on joining ICE facility lawsuit
Advocates campaigning against a planned ICE facility in South County are expressing disappointment after two nearby cities decided not to throw their support behind a lawsuit challenging the project. Multiple city and county governments across the Bay Area and beyond have signed onto an amicus brief in support of the case filed last month by Santa...