Supervisors To Consider Limits On Federal Immigration Enforcement In Marin

SAN RAFAEL, CA — Marin County supervisors will consider a proposal next week to limit the use of county property and resources for federal immigration enforcement and increase oversight of interactions with federal immigration officials.

The proposal is scheduled for the Board of Supervisors’ Oct. 20 meeting. It follows months of pressure from immigrant-rights advocates who have urged the county to adopt stronger restrictions on cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Immigration enforcement has created fear for many families in our community,” said County Executive Derek Johnson. “People need to be able to turn to their local government for services and support. We have a responsibility to protect that trust and be clear about what the County can and cannot do.”

If approved, the proposal would prohibit federal immigration agencies from using county-owned or controlled property as staging areas, processing locations or operational bases, except where required by law. Federal officials seeking access to nonpublic county facilities would need to present a judicial warrant or other legally sufficient authority.

The proposal would also reinforce restrictions on sharing confidential county-held information for immigration enforcement, require county employees to report enforcement activity on county property to the County Executive within 24 hours of learning of it, and require the Sheriff’s Office and Probation Department to report monthly to County Counsel about interactions with federal immigration officials.

County officials said the proposal would formalize administrative practices already in place and bring Marin’s approach closer to policies adopted by other jurisdictions. The county noted that it cannot directly regulate federal immigration operations or generally bar federal officers from public places, but it can control access to nonpublic facilities and restrict how county property, personnel and resources are used within the limits of state and federal law.

Supervisor Dennis Rodoni said the proposal was an important step toward protecting residents and maintaining trust in county services.

“No one should live in fear or feel unsafe accessing County services because of their immigration status,” Rodoni said. “We have a responsibility to protect the rights and dignity of all our residents, defend due process, and ensure County resources aren't used to support immigration enforcement activities that undermine the trust we have worked so hard to build.”

The proposal comes after immigrant-rights advocates rallied at the board’s Sept. 30 meeting, calling for an “ICE-Free Marin” ordinance. The No ICE in Marin coalition said more than 100 residents attended and urged supervisors to adopt restrictions on the use of county property, resources, data and personnel for federal immigration operations.

“We launched this campaign over a year ago,” said Curt Ries, a coalition organizer and co-chair of Marin DSA. “This is the ninth meeting we’ve attended. Hundreds of Marin residents have come to share public comments and nearly 10,000 have signed one of two petitions urging the board to take action to protect our community. We are tired of waiting.”

Ries said the coalition welcomed the county’s work on a policy but wanted a binding ordinance.

The county also highlighted other efforts to support immigrant residents. In 2026, supervisors allocated an additional $1 million for immigration legal services, emergency assistance and the Marin Rapid Response Network, bringing the county’s investment over two years to $1.5 million. The Public Defender’s Office also added an immigration attorney.

Marin County is a plaintiff in San Francisco v. Trump, a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to withhold or condition federal funding based on local policies limiting participation in federal civil immigration enforcement. In June, supervisors also authorized the county to join a legal brief supporting challenges to a proposed federal immigration detention facility near Gilroy.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in Room 330 of the Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael.

Residents can attend in person or participate remotely by Zoom or phone.

Meeting materials and public-comment instructions are available on the Board of Supervisors meetings webpage.