\u201cVTA serves one of the most diverse counties in the country,\u201d VTA Board Chair Sergio Lopez, who called for the policy alongside several of his colleagues, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cThis is absolutely something our community wants and needs to feel safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lopez has called for a similar policy in Campbell<\/a> where he is a councilmember.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for VTA said staff will thoroughly research and present a proper policy to the board\u2019s request.<\/p>\n \u201cBy law, VTA cannot prohibit law enforcement agencies from accessing its facilities, including buses, light rail vehicles, stations and parking areas,\u201d spokesperson Stacey Hendler Ross told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cVTA staff will take the board\u2019s referral under advisement and evaluate whether any updates are appropriate to clarify how employees should respond if ICE officers enter VTA transit facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n This follows actions by San Jose and Santa Clara County<\/a> leaders, who have passed policies to create ICE-free zones. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously<\/a> in January to ban ICE agents from using 11 city garages and parking lots, as well as the parking areas of 75 community centers and libraries as staging areas or operational bases.<\/p>\n Lopez said VTA is taking lessons learned from the recent Super Bowl 60<\/a> to establish protocols and best practices. The World Cup is coming to Levi\u2019s Stadium in Santa Clara starting June 13, requiring massive coordination and planning to ensure safety on the public transit agency\u2019s buses and light rail trains. There were fears of ICE activity<\/a> leading up to the Super Bowl in February, but ultimately the federal agency had no presence<\/a> during the event.<\/p>\n Mariam Arif, spokesperson for nonprofit Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), said they welcome VTA\u2019s efforts to be prepared ahead of the World Cup. SIREN is part of the Rapid Response Network<\/a>, a group of volunteers that watches for and observes ICE activity.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will help ensure that public transit remains safe and accessible for all,\u201d Arif told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cAs we all have witnessed in the recent past, immigrant communities are experiencing heightened fear and trauma. Policies like this are critical to reducing fear in immigrant communities and affirming that essential public spaces should not be used for enforcement actions.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"In-line](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/interactive-321838904008.png\")
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