The Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to ban U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, from entering county-owned buildings at their meeting Tuesday.
“ICE-free zones” have been approved and considered in a variety of other Bay Area cities, including Berkeley, which prompted the city manager to identify city-owned buildings in October.
The proposal comes amid heightened ICE activity across the country, including in Minneapolis where an ICE officer killed intensive care nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday. The council adjourned in the memories of Pretti, Renee Good and Keith Porter, all of whom were killed by ICE officers in the past month.
“We are in a true crisis, not only in protecting our immigrant community, but also in a crisis in the rule of law and upholding our constitution,” said supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who authored the proposals.
The resolution will be enforced by physical barriers and signage to prohibit ICE officers from entering county-owned or county-controlled buildings, parking lots and spaces.
In addition, it will create requirements that county staff report federal attempts to use county property for immigration enforcement operations to the County Administrator’s Office, County Counsel, Public Safety Offices and the Board of Supervisors.
“In the name of all the immigrants, we beg you to approve this proposal to create free zones in the county of Alameda,” said one public commenter in Spanish.
The resolution received an outpour of support, with more than 50 public commenters backing it.
Multiple public commenters urged the board to go further with the resolution, one person stating “this is the least you could do.”
“If you were getting targeted by masked people who have been breaking the law, would signs and gates be enough to make you feel safe?” said one public commenter. “We can do better than signage. Our vulnerable communities need protection.”
In addition, multiple public commenters urged the board to oppose the reopening of the construction of an immigrant detention center in Dublin, which is federally owned.
A number of faith organizations also spoke during public comment in support of the resolution, including faith leaders who went to Minneapolis last week to protest the ICE enforcement of President Donald Trump’s administration.
“(I’m here) to stand up for the rule of law, which seems to be completely ignored, if not segregated, by our federal government right now,” said the Rev. Eric Meter at the Starr King Unitarian Universalist Church of Hayward.
Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez noted that the sheriff’s department would be unable to prevent ICE from making arrests on public county property.
“I want to make sure our community knows the expectations. I don’t want them to think you step into this area and there’s a line that (ICE) can’t enter,” Sanchez said in the meeting.
Additionally, Sanchez said she is committed to ensuring that Alameda County is safe for all and anyone who violates state law will be held accountable.