San Jose council unanimously bars use of city property for federal immigration enforcement operations
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Summary
The San Jose City Council voted unanimously to adopt City Council Policy 7-15, prohibiting use of city-owned or -controlled parking lots, vacant lots, garages and other public property as staging, processing or operations sites for federal civil immigration enforcement; staff will implement signage, access controls and reporting procedures.
The San Jose City Council unanimously adopted City Council Policy 7-15 on Jan. 13, 2026, prohibiting the use of city-owned or city-controlled parking lots, vacant lots, garages and similar public property for federal civil immigration enforcement staging, processing or operational bases.
The policy, presented by Deputy City Manager Angel Reals and city staff, directs implementation steps that include standard signage, site-level access controls where appropriate and reinforced reporting procedures for city staff. Angel Reals said the policy is intended to “preserve community trust and ensure consistent appropriate use of city property” and to prevent city resources from being commandeered for civil immigration enforcement.
Supporters at the council meeting described recent national incidents and urged swift action. “We need to ban federal immigration enforcement from city property,” said Drew Siegler, a District 33 resident and member of SURGE Santa Clara County, during public comment. Speakers from community groups including SURGE, IPEN and the Japantown organizations detailed instances of trauma and family separation and asked the council to adopt a strong, enforceable policy.
Councilmember Sergio Ortiz, who moved the motion to adopt the staff memo, said the measure is carefully scoped and does not interfere with lawful criminal enforcement or valid warrants: “By prohibiting the usage of city-owned parking lots, garages and open spaces for immigration enforcement staging, processing or operations, we are sending a bold and unmistakable message,” Ortiz said. Vice Mayor Foley and other council members emphasized the city’s interest in protecting access to municipal services and preserving residents’ willingness to report crimes and use city services.
Staff said the policy will be applied broadly where city property could be commandeered for civil immigration enforcement, including community centers, parks and libraries adjacent parking areas. Staff also committed to language-accessible signage and indicated that the city attorney’s office had reviewed the policy to provide practical enforcement guidance.
The council recorded the motion and passed it unanimously. The administration will begin implementation work, including identifying specific sites for signage and coordinating reporting procedures with relevant city departments.
The city’s action follows a wave of similar local measures and extensive public comment at the meeting. The council framed the policy as one tool among several — including rapid-response networks, legal tools, and community partnerships — to protect immigrant residents’ safety and civil rights.
