On the 24th day of the second-longest federal government shutdown, Rep. Lateefah Simon and seven mayors from her congressional district gathered in Oakland on Friday afternoon to urge Republicans to work with Democrats and restore benefits for the East Bay’s most vulnerable residents.

The mayors of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, San Leandro, Emeryville, Albany, and Piedmont said the government shutdown, which began Oct. 1, has created a financial strain on federal workers in their cities. Of the 760,000 constituents in California’s 12th Congressional District, 10,000 are federal workers, according to Simon.

The Republicans and Democrats have blamed one another for the stoppage.

“I want you to know that this is, in fact, a Republican shutdown,” said the congresswoman. “While the Democrats continue to hold the line for the people of this country, the Republicans continue to not answer the call.”

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said the government shutdown has left thousands of employees working at the federal building, the federal courthouse, and the Oakland International Airport without pay. She added that there have been growing concerns about how the shutdown might impact Oakland’s Head Start centers, which can serve up to 600 children in under-resourced communities, since the program relies on federal funds.

“Normally, all the funding comes from the federal government on Nov. 1, but it’s likely to be delayed if the shutdown remains ongoing,” she told reporters.

Lee and other mayors expressed worries about the looming cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, if the government shutdown continues. In Alameda County, one in four residents is experiencing food insecurity, and 175,000 people rely on SNAP benefits, according to the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

“We already know who’s going to be hurt the most by the shutdown — it’s the people who have already been suffering in our community,” said Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii. “We need to step up as a community to make sure that we’re continuing to serve people and their basic needs.”

“As people are unable to buy food, they might not be able to make rent, because they have to start making painful choices,” said David Mourra, mayor of Emeryville.

Each of the mayors at the press conference said they were coordinating closely with the county to ensure local food banks are fully stocked and that food is distributed to those most in need.

Local leaders also shared their concerns about potential increases in health care costs. Simon warned that President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” will take health care away from an estimated 15 million to 17 million Americans — including 30,000 in Simon’s district — over the next decade. The bill extended tax cuts, primarily benefitting the wealthy, and to pay for these, it eliminated and cut health care spending.

Democrats have refused to shore up votes that would reopen the government unless Republicans take action to prevent a spike in health insurance premiums and cuts to Medicaid.

Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, mayor of Alameda, said she worried about how this would impact the region’s already beleaguered health care system.

“As people start to lose their healthcare subsidies, or those subsidies become unaffordable, they will turn to hospital emergency rooms as their primary care providers, further burdening that system,” she said.

San Leandro Mayor Juan González implored House Speaker Mike Johnson and other House Republicans to negotiate with Democrats in good faith, describing the government shutdown as “created chaos.”

“Compromise is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of leadership,” González said.

After the ICE and Border Patrol surge operation was apparently canceled, the Oakland and Alameda mayors are still on high alert
Two protesters embrace as they sit in front of a row of Coast Guard officials blocking the entrance to the Coast Guard Base in Alameda on Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Florence Middleton for The Oaklandside

While Friday’s press conference primarily focused on the federal government shutdown, Lee and Ashcraft briefly discussed Trump’s now-canceled threats of an immigration enforcement operation in the region.

Lee said she heard from Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez on Friday that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s planned “surge” operation was canceled in the East Bay — for now.

“We have to stay vigilant. We know this administration,” Lee told reporters.

Lee and Ashcraft did not have further details about how or when the federal agents would leave Coast Guard Island in Alameda.

Video from Thursday night shows Coast Guard personnel firing shots at a U-Haul van that was backing up toward multiple law enforcement officials. A Coast Guard spokesperson said at least two people were shot but are expected to survive.

“I was very troubled by the video,” said Ashcraft.

Ashcraft said she was not in contact with the protesters who were injured, but heard that one of the protesters was treated and “screened for mental health issues” at Highland Hospital.

“People certainly have the right under the First Amendment to come out and protest, but we ask them to do so peacefully because we want everyone’s health and safety to be ensured,” she said.

“*” indicates required fields