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Mayor orders juvenile‑probation review to limit reporting of undocumented youth; supervisors press for full sanctuary compliance
Summary
Mayor Lee told the Board he asked the Juvenile Probation Department to review its practices and to adjust procedures to prioritize family reunification and reduce referrals of undocumented youth to immigration authorities. Several supervisors — notably Jane Kim and David Campos — said the changes fell short of the Board's sanctuary ordinance and
The mayor told the Board of Supervisors he has directed the Juvenile Probation Department to review and adjust its practices to better align with the city's longstanding sanctuary policy, and that his office has authorized steps aimed at keeping families together when juveniles arrested in San Francisco have family in the city.
Supervisor Jane Kim opened the question by citing the 1989 San Francisco Sanctuary City Ordinance and subsequent Board actions, and asking for the mayor's plan to prevent the juvenile probation department from reporting undocumented youth at arrest. Mayor Lee described the history and intent of San Francisco's sanctuary policy and said he spent months balancing public safety and due process. He said he had asked juvenile probation to review its practices and that the department had made adjustments to prioritize family reunification for juveniles with family in the city.
The mayor characterized the changes as efforts to align day‑to‑day juvenile probation practices with sanctuary‑city values while remaining compliant with federal and state law. He said community groups and legal advocates had been involved in his assessment.
Supervisor Jane Kim and others pressed for full implementation of the ordinance. Supervisor David Campos, speaking later during introductions, welcomed the mayor's steps but said they were insufficient. Campos stated the Board had passed a clarification in February 2009 that prohibited reporting undocumented youth except in very narrow circumstances and argued the mayor must direct full compliance with the ordinance, not a partial approach. He cited constitutional due‑process protections and urged that the city not treat unaccompanied youth differently.
Mayor Lee said his direction to juvenile probation was intended to protect families and to ensure due process for juveniles, and he described steps to balance family reunification, public safety and compliance with higher‑priority state and federal obligations.
No formal board motion or ordinance change occurred at the meeting. Supervisors said they would continue to press the mayor for fuller implementation and for staff briefings and follow‑up.
