PINOLE — So-called “ICE free zones,” a policy prohibiting federal agents from staging on publicly owned property, have expanded across the Bay Area after recent adoptions of the restrictions by Pinole and the West Contra Costa Unified School District.
A vote by the Pinole City Council during a Dec. 16 meeting and the West Contra Costa Unified School District Board of Education during its Dec. 17 meeting made both jurisdictions the second and third in the Bay Area to officially prohibit the use of their properties for federal immigration operations.
Pinole’s policy will apply to land owned by the city while the school district’s will cover dozens of sites across El Cerrito, San Pablo, Richmond, Pinole, and Hercules. More than a quarter of Contra Costa County residents are foreign born, according to 2023 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
“I want every family in Pinole to hear this clearly: you belong here, and you deserve to feel safe,” said Councilmember Cameron Sasai, who just rotated out of the mayor role, in a statement. “People cannot thrive when they are living in a state of constant fear. Pinole is taking a firm stand for the dignity and the equal protection of all our residents.”
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors was the first jurisdiction in the region to adopt similar restrictions, voting on Dec. 9 to approve a policy brought forward by Supervisor Sylvia Arenas.
Alameda County, Berkeley and San Francisco have also begun considering similar ordinances that apply to their own properties. BART has said their Safe Transit Policy, which prohibits the use of funds or resources for federal immigration enforcement, already addresses the issue.
Local policies were inspired by ICE free-zones implemented in Chicago by executive order in October, and stem from a threat by the Trump administration to deploy federal agents to the Bay Area.
Protesters gathered outside of Coast Guard Island in Alameda in October after news broke that federal agents were planning to use the site as a staging ground for immigration operations.
A phone call between President Donald Trump and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie resulted in the operation being called off before it even began, but officials remained concerned that future large-scale actions could still take place.
A number of people have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during court appearances, from work and at home since the Trump administration began ramping up its mass deportation plans.
The Pinole Police Department has routinely checked potential ICE sightings, though none have been confirmed and no detentions in the city have been made, Sasai said. The use of unmarked vehicles makes detecting ICE officers challenging, Sasai added.
Aiming to help create a sense of trust and safety for its residents, jurisdictions up and down the Bay Area have declared themselves sanctuary cities, counties or districts and prohibit their employees from sharing information with federal officials unless presented with a judicial warrant.
In Pinole, the first city to adopt ICE-free zones, said its policy is meant to instill even more trust between the city and residents who may fear reaching out for help, reporting crimes or participating in city programs if public property is allowed to be used for immigration operations.
“The ordinance reflects the City’s commitment to public safety, community trust, and the responsible use of local government resources,” the city said in a statement announcing the policy adoption. “Pinole is home to residents of diverse racial, ethnic, and national backgrounds, including a significant immigrant population that contributes to the City’s economic, civic, and cultural vitality.”