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Board urges DHS to respect San Francisco sanctuary policy; resolution adopted 10–1 amid heavy public comment
Summary
The Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution urging the Department of Homeland Security to reject actions that would undermine San Francisco's sanctuary ordinance. The March 7 meeting drew extensive public comment in favor of preserving sanctuary protections; the vote was 10–1 with Supervisor Matt Dorsey voting no.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on March 7 adopted a resolution urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reject recent federal actions and to respect the city’s long‑standing sanctuary ordinance. The measure (item 30 on the agenda) passed 10–1; Supervisor Matt Dorsey was recorded as the lone no vote.
The board action came amid a steady stream of public comment. At the podium and by phone, residents and immigrant‑rights advocates urged supervisors to preserve sanctuary protections and opposed proposals described by some officials as narrow exceptions for fentanyl dealers or other crimes.
Public comment and testimonies
Speakers from community organizations and residents repeatedly said sanctuary protections encourage victims, witnesses and workers to cooperate with city services and avoid deportation fears that would otherwise prevent people from seeking help.
- Carolyn Goosen, identified in the record as a District 8 resident and local policy director for the Public Defender's Office, said: "We are a true sanctuary city, a sanctuary for immigrants and their families... This issue is one that unites so many of us who love this city." She urged the board to vote yes on the resolution and not to weaken the sanctuary ordinance.
- Francisco Garte, an immigration attorney who said he had spent 15 years defending people from deportation, warned against creating exceptions: "If we make 1 little exception here, we open the floodgates for more. Once there's an institutionalized relationship, there will be abuses," he said.
Board action and votes
Supervisor Hillary Ronan introduced the resolution. On a roll call the board approved the resolution 10–1 with Supervisor Dorsey recorded as voting no. President Aaron Peskin presided over the vote.
What the resolution does
The adopted resolution urges DHS and the Biden administration to reject actions that would undermine the city's sanctuary ordinance and to extradite accused individuals through existing legal channels without further steps that the resolution characterized as encroachments on local policy.
Broader context
The item prompted significant public turnout and dozens of callers on both sides of the issue. Supporters argued maintaining sanctuary laws protects communities and public safety by encouraging cooperation with police and social services; opponents, including some speakers and a few supervisors, argued narrowly tailored exceptions could be used to address serious crimes such as fentanyl trafficking. The board’s final action upheld the city's current sanctuary policy.
Speakers and public commenters quoted here are in the meeting transcript and public record.
