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Large public turnout urges Los Gatos council to forbid use of town resources for ICE activities
Summary
More than a dozen residents urged the council during verbal communications to place a formal item limiting town cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, citing recent enforcement actions and the town’s history of Japanese American incarceration.
At the Feb. 3 Los Gatos council meeting, a long series of public commenters urged the council to place on its agenda a local law or resolution prohibiting town resources, property and personnel from being used to assist ICE or other federal immigration enforcement.
Multiple residents linked the request to the town’s history during Japanese American incarceration and recent national enforcement operations. "History shows us that great harm doesn't begin all at once. It begins when people are taken quietly," said Carol Manchester, who urged the council to "agendaize this issue and move toward a clear local law that prohibits town resources from being used to support or cooperate with federal immigration enforcement." Several speakers asked the council to work with the town’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) commission to draft a resolution.
Speakers described personal concerns about community safety during raids, the use of license‑plate readers and unauthorized agency access to data, and asked for explicit local policies such as preventing the use of town property as ICE staging grounds and limiting police cooperation with federal agents. Several commenters pointed to county or city precedents (San Jose and Santa Clara County) and urged Los Gatos to align with these protections.
Council members did not adopt a policy tonight; several council members acknowledged the public concern and said staff and the DEI commission would be asked to consider next steps. Members asked staff to report back with options and legal parameters given constraints on local authority over federal agents.
Why it matters
Residents said the issue is urgent and immediate given recent national incidents and expressed fear for immigrant neighbors and families. The council did not take formal action tonight but heard broad public support to consider a local statement or policy and asked staff to return with options.
What’s next
Council requested staff and relevant commissions to consider options and return to the council with legal analysis and proposed language for possible future action.
