{"id":164299,"date":"2026-02-04T23:41:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T23:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/164299\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T23:41:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T23:41:11","slug":"santa-clara-council-passes-anti-ice-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/164299\/","title":{"rendered":"Santa Clara Council Passes Anti-ICE Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will not be conducting immigration enforcement at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, the Santa Clara City Council still unanimously passed a policy prohibiting city cooperation with ICE at a special meeting Feb. 3.<\/p>\n

The topic came up at the council\u2019s previous meeting, where the council hastily agendized discussion of a policy at the behest of Council Member Kevin Park.<\/p>\n

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City Manager Jovan Grogan told the council the policy borrowed largely from similar such policies, specifically in San Jose. Consequently, he said the policy is unable to capture Santa Clara\u2019s unique needs.<\/p>\n

City Attorney Glen Googins said the signs and barriers will discourage ICE from staging, processing or establishing an operations base.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally, at the core of the policy \u2026 is a general prohibition on the use of city facilities, parking garages and open spaces that are owned or controlled by the city, the city of Santa Clara,\u201d Googins said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The \u201cmechanism for enforcement,\u201d Googins said, would be a civil injunction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The city will provide \u201cKnow Your Rights\u201d pamphlets. The policy does not apply to city property subject to an existing lease, nor does it limit \u201clawful judicial warrants or enforcement of criminal law.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Vice Mayor Albert Gonzalez \u2014 who, along with Council Member Kelly Cox, drafted a letter to city employees \u2014 said concerns from the immigrant community are not abstract, but grounded in real experiences, recent national events and deep distrust of immigration.<\/p>\n

ICE\u2019s behavior, he said, \u201cblurs the line between lawful activity and intimidation.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the city hosting major international events, Gonzalez said, the city needs \u201cconcrete, enforceable city policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith that visibility comes responsibility, where residents deserve clarity, protection within the limits of the law and a local government that acts decisively instead of symbolically,\u201d he said. \u201cThis moment requires more than reassurance. It requires visible action that is legally sound, operationally feasible and responsive to the lived reality of our residents.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since voters elected Santa Clara Policy Chief Cory Morgan, the council has, as Googins put it, \u201cmeaningful limitations\u201d in its authority to give him directives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, a slew of state laws already protect cities from having to cooperate with ICE, and the city\u2019s policy doesn\u2019t guarantee immigrants\u2019 safety from ICE action.<\/p>\n

Both Googins and Grogan said the policy made them uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood policy making, especially in complex areas in policy and the law \u2026 are not typically rushed, and are not typically off the shelf,\u201d Googins said.<\/p>\n

During a nearly two-hour public comments section on the topic, droves of commenters, including several from local advocacy groups, implored the council to act.<\/p>\n

Hector Hernandez said his family lives in constant fear and wants politicians to support immigrants, not turn their backs on them.<\/p>\n

Sean Allen, president of Silicon Valley NAACP, said Morgan\u2019s comments about cooperating with ICE depending on the necessity seemed like a loophole. He added that the proposed resolution \u201csounds like a bunch of words, not commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no such thing as a necessary cooperation for civil immigration enforcement,\u201d he said. \u201cYou cannot take the profit of black excellence and pay it back to the community with terror.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark Geron said he was \u201cdisappointed with the flaccid response\u201d and that the council was trying to \u201csweep any action under the rug.\u201d<\/p>\n

After public comments, each council member took turns decrying ICE\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n

Cox said she wanted to be frank about the city\u2019s inability to promise safety, otherwise the city would \u201cover-commit and under-deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city will continue to refine the policy as the FIFA World Cup approaches later this year.<\/p>\n

The next regularly scheduled meeting is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10 in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1500 Warburton Ave. in Santa Clara.<\/p>\n

Members of the public can participate in the City Council meetings on Zoom at\u00a0https:\/\/santaclaraca.zoom.us\/j\/99706759306<\/a>; Meeting ID: 997-0675-9306 or call 1 (669) 900-6833, via the City\u2019s eComment (available during the meeting) or by email to\u00a0PublicComment@santaclaraca.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Contact David Alexander at\u00a0d.todd.alexander@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Previous City Council Meetings:
SVP Gives Bi-annual Report, Council to Discuss Opposing ICE at Super Bowl<\/a>
Santa Clara Puts Bond Money to Work<\/a>
Santa Clara Budget Surplus to Bolster Reserves<\/a>
NFL to use Soccer Fields During Super Bowl\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

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