Taking a cue from other jurisdictions, Mountain View has added a new tool to its playbook to try and block the possibility of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security setting up an immigration detention center in the city. The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an “urgency ordinance” that puts a temporary moratorium on the filing,...
Gilroy enacts detention center moratorium after ICE fears
With a federal immigration enforcement facility planned just beyond city borders, Gilroy officials are following the path taken by other Bay Area cities in attempting to restrict more projects from being built. The Gilroy City Council on Monday unanimously approved a temporary, 45-day ban on new detention facilities on public- or private-owned property, with the...
Newsom signs Silicon Valley lawmakers’ bills to combat ICE
While federal immigration agents have stoked fear in Silicon Valley, California has passed a number of bills to keep them and those who run detention centers accountable. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 29 signed nearly two dozen bills, with some spearheaded by Silicon Valley lawmakers to protect immigrants from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)...
San Jose to create guidelines to prevent detention centers
San Jose is placing stronger controls on the development of private detention facilities within its borders in response to fears that the federal government may establish new immigration centers in the region. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to place a 45-day moratorium on any proposal to create or expand detention facilities on private land...
Santa Clara County sues Trump over sweeping green card changes
Santa Clara County and San Francisco are working to stop President Donald Trump from giving federal agents sweeping discretion on who can obtain a green card. A Sept. 14 lawsuit filed alongside New York City, Chicago, Seattle and King County, Washington alleges the Trump administration’s new criteria for barring immigrants from becoming lawful, permanent residents if they...
ICE observer sues after being handcuffed in San Jose
It never crossed former San Jose resident Yesenia Campos’ mind she would be detained by federal immigration agents for recording activity from a distance. On Oct. 30, 2025, Campos was notified of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity at the South San Jose field office, where immigrants periodically check-in for compliance. She immediately drove...
Judge orders pause on work at South County ICE facility
A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking construction at a proposed ICE facility in South County as the lawsuit against the project plays out in court. In a 23-page ruling filed Friday, Northern District of California Judge Eumi Lee said that plaintiffs are “likely to succeed” in their claim that the federal government...
Silicon Valley immigrants to face stricter green card requirements
Federal rule changes taking effect later this month will make it harder for immigrants applying to live and work in the U.S. Starting Sept. 18, obtaining a green card will require a greater burden of proof that the applicant won’t become a “public charge” who is dependent on government benefits. As part of the process, green...
UPDATE: Federal judge weighs temporary pause for South County ICE facility
The judge reviewing a lawsuit seeking to block a proposed ICE facility in South County has deferred a ruling on a preliminary injunction asking for a temporary halt to construction work. The Tuesday decision from Northern District of California Judge Eumi Lee means it may take another week or more until she renders her final...
Bay Area lawmakers’ bills to combat ICE head to Newsom’s desk
Several state bills spurred by Silicon Valley lawmakers to keep federal immigration agents accountable and uphold rights for detainees are headed to the governor’s desk. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities have been rife with alleged human rights violations, with reports of inhumane living conditions, sexual abuse, unsanitary food and inadequate medical care. In...