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City staff outline protections, protocols and community outreach to limit local assistance to federal immigration enforcement
Summary
Staff briefed the council on existing ordinances, police policy and a developing implementation plan to prevent city facilities and personnel from being used to assist federal immigration enforcement while improving rapid‑response communications and legal services for residents.
City staff presented an initial report on the city’s efforts to safeguard residents from federal civil immigration enforcement activities, including ICE raids. The briefing reviewed a history of Richmond ordinances and policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement (1990, 2018, and a 2025 ordinance adding Chapter 2.30), described Richmond Police Department policy prohibiting immigration sweeps and ICE assistance, and outlined an implementation strategy.
Senior Assistant City Attorney Kimberly Chin summarized code provisions that already limit use of city resources for federal immigration enforcement and said staff are preparing clarifying amendments to define the use of city property (including preventing staging/processing on city grounds), memorialize limited assistance protocols, and create reporting requirements. Chief Tim Simmons emphasized the department’s ‘‘shall not’’ policy: Richmond PD will not conduct immigration sweeps, will not honor ICE detainers to the department’s discretion, and will not grant assistance for perimeter or operational support.
Staff described initial operational measures already implemented: a limited assistance protocol for staff, a 24‑hour legal line, municipal ID outreach, contracted immigrant legal service providers offering case screening and representation, and a community communications strategy being developed with rapid‑response networks. Community engagement meetings produced input on language access, outreach to unhoused residents, school coordination, and neighborhood preparedness templates.
Council asked detailed questions about enforcement boundaries, coordination with schools, notification and rapid alerts, and whether city investigators would probe alleged federal misconduct; staff said Richmond would not assist ICE operationally, would document requests, and would pursue ordinance language and operational protocols for reporting and communications to return to council in April.
