Santa Cruz County Adopts New Policy on Federal Immigration Interactions
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has enacted a policy detailing protocols for county employees when approached by federal immigration agents.
In a recent meeting, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved a policy designed to guide employees on how to respond if contacted by federal immigration officials. This development comes after the board instituted an ordinance that bans U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from utilizing county-owned facilities—including buildings, parking lots, and parks—for enforcement activities.
Since January 2025, immigration officials have made at least 39 visits to Santa Cruz County, which included the arrest of a Watsonville resident in January 2026. Thus far, federal authorities have focused on targeted arrests rather than large-scale enforcement operations within the county.
During the meeting, County Executive Nicole Coburn emphasized the importance of the new policy in promoting uniformity across departments when faced with ICE agents. She stated, “This provides clear guidelines for what should happen when ICE officers come to the department and are in public spaces.”
The newly approved policy mandates that each county department establish a “response point” responsible for managing interactions with federal agents. In addition, departments must implement specific procedures for promptly notifying employees when immigration officers are present on county property.
As part of the policy, officials are instructed not to intervene physically or obstruct federal law enforcement officers from entering county property. Under the established protocol, the “response desk” will work to redirect federal agents away from individuals seeking social services or sensitive information while documenting the names and badge numbers of those involved.
The policy further stipulates actions to be taken if ICE agents attempt an unauthorized search or enter county property without a judicial warrant. In such cases, staff members are directed to notify their immediate supervisor, the department head, and the county attorney.
Supervisor Manu Koenig highlighted that this policy update addresses previous inadequate training regarding staff responses to ICE presence. He noted that it would help reduce confusion and anxiety among both residents and county employees.
Additionally, the Board of Supervisors received a report from the county Office of Inspector General, which conducted an audit on the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office’s use of automatic license plate reading technology. The audit responded to community concerns and confirmed that the department did not misuse this technology.
