ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS LEADING THIS EFFORT. 16 SACRAMENTO ORGANIZATIONS ARE DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY FROM ICE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY AT THE JOHN MOSS BUILDING. THAT WAS NOT ONLY TARGETED AND CITED BY FEDERAL AGENTS, BUT ALSO BY SACRAMENTO PD AS WELL. IN A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THE GROUPS CONDEMN RECENT ACTIONS BY ICE AGENTS IN SACRAMENTO. THEY POINT TO THE DETENTION OF REFUGEES, IMMIGRANTS AND PROTESTERS AT THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE AND ALLEGE VIOLENT ARRESTS OF PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS ON NOVEMBER 5TH. THEY ALSO CRITICIZE SACRAMENTO POLICE FOR HELPING ICE BY CITING PROTESTERS FOR MINOR INFRACTIONS, SAYING IT UNDERCUTS FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND IN PARTICULAR, ONE RESIDENT WAS CITED FOR JAYWALKING WHILE HE WAS CHECKING ON RESIDENTS ACROSS THE STREET. COUNCIL MEMBER MAI VANG IS NOW PUSHING TO STRENGTHEN THE CITY’S SANCTUARY POLICY, SAYING IT’S CRITICAL FOR SAFETY AND TRUST BETWEEN POLICE AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. IF WE WANT TO BUILD GENUINE TRUST BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE PROCESSES AND PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO BUILD THAT TRUST. ANOTHER PRIORITY UPDATING THE CITY’S IMMIGRATION PLATFORM, SOMETHING THAT HASN’T BEEN REVISITED SINCE 2017. THE NEW PROPOSALS INCLUDE ALIGNING WITH STATE POLICY AND BANNING MASKED FEDERAL AGENTS, PROTECTING FREE SPEECH ON CITY PROPERTY, PROHIBITING CITY PROPERTY FROM BEING USED FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, AND LIMITING ACCESS TO IMMIGRATION RELATED DATA. I THINK THE FIRST PIECE IS MAKING SURE THAT IT’S REFLECTIVE IN OUR POLICY AND THEN PROVIDING DIRECTION TO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND PD TO ENFORCE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THE PROPOSAL HAS YET TO BE SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO, MARICELA DE LA CRUZ. KCRA THREE NEWS. SACRAMENTO POLICE RESPONDED TO THE ALLEGATIONS THAT THEY HAVE HELPED ICE AGENTS BY CITING PROTESTERS FOR MINOR INFRACTIONS. IN A STATEMENT, THE DEPARTMENT SAID IT FOLLOWS AN ESTABLISHED POLICY ON IMMIGRATION RELATED
Sacramento groups demand accountability from ICE following recent actions by federal agents
Updated: 7:22 PM PST Nov 19, 2025
Sixteen organizations in Sacramento are demanding accountability from ICE and local law enforcement, following recent actions involving federal agents in the city.In a letter to the mayor and city council, the groups condemn the actions of ICE agents in Sacramento, particularly the detention of refugees, immigrants, and protesters at the John Moss Federal Building, and allege violent arrests of peaceful demonstrators on Nov. 5.They also criticize Sacramento police for helping ICE by citing protesters for minor infractions, saying it undercuts First Amendment rights. “In particular, one resident was cited for jaywalking while he was checking on residents across the street,” said Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang in Tuesday’s council meeting.The Sacramento Police Department responded to the allegations in the letter regarding citations. In a statement, the department said it “follows an established policy on immigration-related matters,” adding that its officers “do not take part in civil immigration enforcement.”Vang is pushing to strengthen the city’s sanctuary policy, saying it’s critical for safety and trust between police and vulnerable communities. “If we want to build genuine trust between community and government and law enforcement – our local law enforcement – it is essential that we have processes and protocols in place to build that trust,” Vang said.Another priority is updating the city’s immigration platform, which hasn’t been revisited since 2017.The new components include:Prohibit Use of City Property for Immigration EnforcementBan staging areas or operational bases for immigration enforcement on city-owned lots, garages, and properties.Protect Free Speech on City PropertyReaffirm residents’ right to peacefully assemble and protest on city-owned spaces, including designating the John Moss Building area as a free speech zone.Limit Access to Immigration-Related DataCommit to restricting access to city data that could reveal citizenship or immigration status.Align with State Policy (SB 627 – No Secret Police Act)Ensure local policy reflects state law by prohibiting masked federal agents and supporting transparency in enforcement activities.But with the federal government’s hard stance on sanctuary cities, it’s unclear how far local policies can go. Still, Vang said the city must prepare. “The first piece is making sure that’s reflected in our policy, and then, providing direction to the interim city manager and PD to enforce that is really important,” Vang said.The proposal has yet to be submitted for consideration by the mayor and city council.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Sixteen organizations in Sacramento are demanding accountability from ICE and local law enforcement, following recent actions involving federal agents in the city.
In a letter to the mayor and city council, the groups condemn the actions of ICE agents in Sacramento, particularly the detention of refugees, immigrants, and protesters at the John Moss Federal Building, and allege violent arrests of peaceful demonstrators on Nov. 5.
They also criticize Sacramento police for helping ICE by citing protesters for minor infractions, saying it undercuts First Amendment rights.
“In particular, one resident was cited for jaywalking while he was checking on residents across the street,” said Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang in Tuesday’s council meeting.
The Sacramento Police Department responded to the allegations in the letter regarding citations. In a statement, the department said it “follows an established policy on immigration-related matters,” adding that its officers “do not take part in civil immigration enforcement.”
Vang is pushing to strengthen the city’s sanctuary policy, saying it’s critical for safety and trust between police and vulnerable communities.
“If we want to build genuine trust between community and government and law enforcement – our local law enforcement – it is essential that we have processes and protocols in place to build that trust,” Vang said.
Another priority is updating the city’s immigration platform, which hasn’t been revisited since 2017.
The new components include:
Prohibit Use of City Property for Immigration Enforcement
Ban staging areas or operational bases for immigration enforcement on city-owned lots, garages, and properties.Protect Free Speech on City Property
Reaffirm residents’ right to peacefully assemble and protest on city-owned spaces, including designating the John Moss Building area as a free speech zone.Limit Access to Immigration-Related Data
Commit to restricting access to city data that could reveal citizenship or immigration status.Align with State Policy (SB 627 – No Secret Police Act)
Ensure local policy reflects state law by prohibiting masked federal agents and supporting transparency in enforcement activities.
But with the federal government’s hard stance on sanctuary cities, it’s unclear how far local policies can go. Still, Vang said the city must prepare.
“The first piece is making sure that’s reflected in our policy, and then, providing direction to the interim city manager and PD to enforce that is really important,” Vang said.
The proposal has yet to be submitted for consideration by the mayor and city council.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel