Campbell council adopts policy barring use of city property for federal civil immigration enforcement; signage debate divides members

The Campbell City Council on May 5 adopted a policy prohibiting the use of city‑owned and city‑controlled property for federal civil immigration enforcement activities, citing staff recommendations modeled on neighboring cities’ ordinances. The resolution passed by unanimous roll call following staff presentations, public comment and council discussion.

Deputy City Manager Angelique Gaeta presented the draft policy and said staff had modeled it on the City of Santa Clara’s policy, adding a definition of city property and an exemption for existing agreements unless otherwise agreed by the parties. Gaeta said the proposal covers properties the city owns or controls and had been prepared with county partners in mind.

Police Chief Berg addressed a separate matter at the outset of the discussion, clarifying that comments previously attributed to him about federal officers’ hiring practices were not his statements and did not reflect his views. “I have not had any conversations with council member Scazzola about ICE,” the chief said, and he emphasized that federal agencies have different hiring practices.

During public comment, residents and advocates urged the council to strengthen the draft by installing signage on city properties, explicitly including community centers, the Heritage Theater, the library and fire stations, and by providing 'know your rights' resources for businesses and community groups. Karen Martin said signage would help staff and the public apply the policy during high‑pressure situations; several speakers urged adoption before the FIFA World Cup, citing concerns about increased enforcement activity.

Supporters also argued signs are inexpensive; one commenter cited a per‑sign cost of about $62 and offered community assistance to cover the expense. City staff told the council they had trained employees on how to respond if federal officers appear on city property and that the city’s proposal does include community center, Heritage Theater and library properties.

Council members expressed support for the policy but disagreed about signage. Some said signage would be a low‑cost way to communicate the policy and help staff and residents; others, including the mayor, raised concerns about procurement, installation and maintenance costs and potential political responses. After debate, Council member Sergio Lopez moved to adopt the staff recommendation and Vice Mayor Bibi seconded the motion.

The council approved the policy by roll call vote: Lopez — aye; Hines — aye; Vice Mayor Bibi — aye; Mayor Furtado — aye; (the council vote was recorded as unanimous). The staff direction is to implement the policy and continue coordination with county partners and internal training.

The adopted policy will be applied to city‑owned and city‑controlled properties; staff said existing lease restrictions under county control (such as some library and fire station arrangements) were considered and that language was included to address those situations.

The council did not finalize a separate signage program at the meeting; members signaled a desire to revisit signage timing and costs in follow‑up work.