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Board advances ordinance restricting law-enforcement access to county facilities
Summary
Supervisors advanced the Civil Liberties Enforcement and Accountability Rules (CLEAR) ordinance to limit law-enforcement access to county facilities without warrants and to require multilingual signage; it passed first reading with two supervisors dissenting.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors moved forward on a first reading Tuesday for an ordinance that would restrict law-enforcement access to county facilities and require clear, multilingual notices and warrant procedures.
Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre and supporters said the ordinance is meant to protect vulnerable residents'including immigrants, people seeking reproductive or gender-affirming care, people with disabilities and others'from intimidation and enforcement actions inside county buildings. Staff framed the measure as modeled on a San Diego city ordinance and described signage, limits on access by federal agents and procedural exceptions tied to imminent threats or regulatory inspections.
Public comment was sharply divided: immigrant-rights and civil-rights advocates urged the board to adopt firm protections; critics argued the ordinance contains broad exceptions that could render it ineffective or that it will invite litigation. Several public callers and speakers said the county should keep strong procedural safeguards to avoid impeding legitimate law-enforcement duties.
Vote: The board moved the ordinance to second reading; the motion passed with Supervisors Anderson and Desmond voting no.
Next steps: The ordinance will return for a second reading with staff to refine language, exceptions and implementation details.
