![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SanClemente-2025-CC-leopo-5.jpg\")
San Clemente Mayor Steve Knoblock listens to public speakers at the Nov. 18, 2025, city council meeting. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main issue here is civil liberties and community trust,\u201d Enmeier said during the meeting. \u201cI personally feel under watch if this camera will be put in place.\u201d<\/p>\n
An overwhelming majority of the more than 20 people who spoke during Tuesday\u2019s public comment opposed the issue \u2013 raising concerns over privacy issues and oversight.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
City staff said the Department of Homeland Security won\u2019t 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\u2019t actively watching neighborhoods.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 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,\u201d reads the staff report<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n Many of Tuesday\u2019s concerns were also raised during a November city council meeting last year, when officials began mulling over Border Patrol cameras.\u00a0<\/p>\n [Read: San Clemente Eyes Installing Border Patrol Cameras to Look for Panga Boats<\/a>]<\/p>\n 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. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis can lead to mission creep, this can lead to AI analytics, facial recognition and other things,\u201d Enmeier said. \u201cOnce their foot is in the door, we don\u2019t know what this will lead to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Councilman Victor Cabral brushed off privacy concerns.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe also rent property to the cellular companies, believe me the cellular companies collect more data on you,\u201d Cabral said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mayor Rick Loeffler said it was a tough proposal.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI was in law enforcement for 37 years and I\u2019ve seen some things that really really concern me as a police officer,\u201d Loeffler said. \u201cI did look at this as a public safety issue truly \u2013 not political.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Loeffler said public safety outweighs privacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI look at it \u2013 maybe from my background \u2013 as safety might better balance out privacy,\u201d Loeffler said. \u201cI can see both sides of this. But I\u2019m having a hard time seeing a privacy issue.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n One resident, who said he\u2019s studying theology, said his faith brought him to the council meeting to oppose the Border Patrol cameras because of civil liberties concerns.\u00a0<\/p>\n He also quoted Benjamin Franklin.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThose who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.\u201d<\/p>\n Of the more than 20 people who spoke at the Jan. 20 council meeting, only a couple residents supported the idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cJust because there\u2019s a few speakers here \u2026 it doesn\u2019t mean that the residents don\u2019t support this, the residents do support this,\u201d resident Tony Rubolino said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Later in the meeting, Councilman Enmeier said hadn\u2019t heard any community support for the move.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI took a compilation of emails that were sent to me. By the way, I didn\u2019t get a single email that was in support of this \u2013 that says a lot,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Resident Kathy Esfahani said the current deportation raids are based on politics.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNone of this is being done for safety. It\u2019s being done for politics. It\u2019s being done to please Trump\u2019s base,\u201d Esfahani said. \u201cHe\u2019s trying to run up the numbers of people being deported as quickly as possible to please his base.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n \t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SanClemente-2025-CC-leopo-8.jpg\")
Councilman Rick Loeffler speaks to San Clemente city staff during the San Clemente Nov. 19, 2025, meeting. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SanClemente-2025-CC-leopo-14.jpg\")
Councilman Mark Enmeier speaks with residents during a break in the San Clemente City on Nov. 18, 2025. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n