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Residents urge bans on surveillance contracts and support immigration-protection resolutions as council weighs items 17–18
Summary
Dozens of residents told the council to end or modify surveillance-camera contracts and to adopt resolutions to limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement; council members said they would refine language and return items for further consideration.
Dozens of public commenters used their allotted three minutes March 4 to press the San Bernardino City Council to adopt local protections for immigrant residents and to end or limit surveillance contracts they said intimidate vulnerable communities.
Speakers represented immigrant-rights organizations, neighborhood groups and individuals who recounted personal experiences with immigration enforcement or surveillance. Multiple speakers urged council support for agenda items 17 and 18 — described in the meeting as resolutions to protect constitutional rights and to limit city cooperation with federal immigration enforcement (including requests to end or not renew contracts with surveillance vendors such as Flock).
Advocates told the council surveillance systems and license-plate readers can be used to track and refer residents to federal agencies, creating fear and discouraging residents from seeking public services. One organizer asked the council to "renuncien a las cámaras Flock y a cualquier investigación y a los perros robóticos," citing privacy and enforcement concerns. Several commenters asked the council to adopt language consistent with California statutory protections mentioned in public testimony (references to SB 805 and state protections were raised by multiple speakers).
Council discussion later in the meeting focused on whether to translate the proposals into a refined resolution and how to use workshops or staff reports to develop implementation steps. Councilmember Ibarra and others acknowledged the community’s concerns and recommended additional staff work to reconcile policy language with state law and operational details. No final council vote on items 17 or 18 occurred that night; the council agreed to keep the items on a future agenda for further drafting and to consider a workshop or staff report.
What happened in the meeting: The public-comment record includes many first-hand accounts and requests for action; the council signaled willingness to continue the policy conversation and requested additional staff work and community engagement before any formal adoption.
The next steps: Councilmembers and staff will refine resolution language, coordinate with legal counsel on statutory constraints, and schedule follow-up workshops or hearings. Community groups asked for timely placement on a future agenda and for the council to consider specific restrictions on surveillance contracts and data-sharing agreements.
