Customs and Border Patrol agents will soon be monitoring San Clemente’s idyllic coastline in an effort to crack down on panga boats after city officials narrowly approved a camera installation on a ridge high above the town. 

In a split vote this week, city council members voted 3-1-1 to enter into a 20-year lease with the Department of Homeland Security that allows for camera installations at a reservoir overlooking the Spanish village by the sea despite scores of residents raising privacy concerns. 

“A lot of comments about police state and privacy – our privacy is not being invaded. None of your privacy is being invaded. None of your liberties are being invaded. If you’re an illegal alien and you’re caught in this town – anywhere else in this country, hopefully – you’re going to be removed because that’s the law,” Councilman Steve Knoblock said during the Jan. 20 council meeting. 

San Clemente Mayor Steve Knoblock listens to public speakers at the Nov. 18, 2025, city council meeting. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

While Knoblock and a narrow majority of his colleagues voted for the proposal, Councilman Mark Enmeier voted against the move and Councilman Zhen Wu abstained from voting. 

“The main issue here is civil liberties and community trust,” Enmeier said during the meeting. “I personally feel under watch if this camera will be put in place.”

An overwhelming majority of the more than 20 people who spoke during Tuesday’s public comment opposed the issue – raising concerns over privacy issues and oversight.  

City staff said the Department of Homeland Security won’t allow city officials to see what federal agents are monitoring on the cameras, but said screenshots could occasionally be shared with the city to ensure they aren’t actively watching neighborhoods. 

“In regard to a City representative observing the system in-use, CBP has stated that the system user interface is proprietary and requires special clearance to be viewed, presenting a challenge to this request,” reads the staff report. 

Yet staff also said if people come ashore on a panga boat and go into neighborhoods, Border Patrol agents could start tracking them on camera as they traverse the residential areas. 

Many of Tuesday’s concerns were also raised during a November city council meeting last year, when officials began mulling over Border Patrol cameras. 

[Read: San Clemente Eyes Installing Border Patrol Cameras to Look for Panga Boats]

Enmeier said the 20-year lease means multiple presidential administrations will oversee Border Patrol operations and raised questions over just how the surveillance system could be used in the future.   

“This can lead to mission creep, this can lead to AI analytics, facial recognition and other things,” Enmeier said. “Once their foot is in the door, we don’t know what this will lead to.” 

Councilman Victor Cabral brushed off privacy concerns. 

“We also rent property to the cellular companies, believe me the cellular companies collect more data on you,” Cabral said. 

Mayor Rick Loeffler said it was a tough proposal. 

“I was in law enforcement for 37 years and I’ve seen some things that really really concern me as a police officer,” Loeffler said. “I did look at this as a public safety issue truly – not political.” 

Councilman Rick Loeffler speaks to San Clemente city staff during the San Clemente Nov. 19, 2025, meeting. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

Loeffler said public safety outweighs privacy. 

“I look at it – maybe from my background – as safety might better balance out privacy,” Loeffler said. “I can see both sides of this. But I’m having a hard time seeing a privacy issue.” 

One resident, who said he’s studying theology, said his faith brought him to the council meeting to oppose the Border Patrol cameras because of civil liberties concerns. 

He also quoted Benjamin Franklin. 

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Of the more than 20 people who spoke at the Jan. 20 council meeting, only a couple residents supported the idea. 

“Just because there’s a few speakers here … it doesn’t mean that the residents don’t support this, the residents do support this,” resident Tony Rubolino said. 

Councilman Mark Enmeier speaks with residents during a break in the San Clemente City on Nov. 18, 2025. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

Later in the meeting, Councilman Enmeier said hadn’t heard any community support for the move. 

“I took a compilation of emails that were sent to me. By the way, I didn’t get a single email that was in support of this – that says a lot,” he said. 

Resident Kathy Esfahani said the current deportation raids are based on politics. 

“None of this is being done for safety. It’s being done for politics. It’s being done to please Trump’s base,” Esfahani said. “He’s trying to run up the numbers of people being deported as quickly as possible to please his base.” 

Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio.

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