To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Executive Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Christina Rivera and Jennifer Solito, 707-565-2431
Vote Requirement: Informational Only
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Supporting Immigrant Communities Ad Hoc Updates
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Receive report on the status of the Supporting Immigrant Communities Ad Hoc.
B) Authorize the County Executive, or designee, to execute an agreement with North Bay Organizing Project to support the North Bay Rapid Response Network in the amount of $15,000 utilizing First District Tourism Impact Funds for FY 25-26 (First District).
end
Executive Summary:
The Supporting Immigrant Communities Ad Hoc Committee, made of up Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo and Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, was established in August 2025 to strengthen County efforts in supporting immigrant residents amid heightened federal enforcement activities. Since its inception, the Ad Hoc has convened regularly with community stakeholders, legal counsel, and County departments with the goal to identify service gaps, develop policy recommendations, and enhance emergency preparedness.
This report provides an update on the Ad Hoc’s work to date and future plans.
Discussion:
Since its formation in August 2025, the Supporting Immigrant Communities Ad Hoc has met eight times and has advanced a several initiatives to related to aligning County practices with state law, ensuring County staff preparedness for potential immigration enforcement events, and has started assessing community needs. Below is a summary of key actions and updates on outstanding initiatives.
• Support for Immigrant Communities County-Hosted Website - This public website was created to provide information to community members about County and other local resources. Information can be found regarding legal and social services, the North Bay Rapid Response network, as well as information about this Ad Hoc, including the Charter and meeting agendas and minutes. The website has also been shared with County staff as a resource they may share with clients or community members. <https://sonomacounty.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/county-executives-office/projects/support-for-immigrant-communities>
• Ad Hoc Charter - Adopted by the Board on September 23, 2025.
• Employee Protocols and Guidance for ICE Interactions - The Ad Hoc updated these protocols to include community feedback received. The protocols were released to staff County-wide in September 2025.
• Employee Training on ICE Protocols - The Ad Hoc directed the implementation of training for County staff on these protocols. The first training was held virtually in December 2025 with over 300 employees attending. A second training was held in January 2026 with approximately 250 employees in attendance. The training recording will be made available to all staff who may have been unable to attend.
• Ensuring Public/Private Space Delineations - Ensuring County facilities clearly delineate public lobby and access space and employee-only, private space which is not accessible to the general public. Departments were required to report compliance to the County Executive.
• Regional Coordination and Preparedness - The Ad Hoc and staff are participating in the Belonging the Bay Initiative, a consortium of 12 Bay Area counties that meet monthly to discuss regional preparedness efforts related to a potential large-scale immigration enforcement event. The County will be hosting the next meeting later this month.
• Developed a Local Immigration Enforcement Response Plan - The Department of Emergency Management has developed a draft Local Immigration Enforcement Impact CONOP (Concept of Operations) which addresses the County’s response, in partnership with local providers, to a large-scale immigration enforcement event. The Draft is currently being reviewed by impacted external community stakeholders.
• Urgency Ordinance Prohibiting Law Enforcement Officers from Concealing Their Identity and Requiring Them to Present Identification and Agency-Identifying Insignia When Conducting Operations in the Unincorporated Areas of Sonoma County - On September 23, 2025, this draft Urgency Ordinance was considered by the Board of Supervisors. Following Board direction, staff initiated the meet and confer process with the applicable County labor unions. The meet and confer process is ongoing. Subsequently, SB 627, also known as the “No Secret Police Act”, was signed into law and became effective on January 1, 2026. This law prohibits local, state and federal law enforcement officers in California from wearing facial coverings that conceal their identify, with some exceptions. It further requires law enforcement agencies to create and publicly post written policies related to fiscal coverings by July 1, 2026. Given the implementation of SB 627, an Urgency Ordinance is no longer needed. In November of 2025, the federal government sued the State of California, claiming that SB 627 application to federal law enforcement agents, including ICE agents, is unconstitutional.
• Potential Policy to Prohibit Immigration Enforcement Activities on County-Controlled Properties - On November 4, 2025, the Ad Hoc recommended, and the full Board approved, direction to staff to consider developing a policy prohibiting the use of County-controlled properties for certain specific enforcement activities. Through partnership with County Counsel and in reviewing current policies and protocols, it was determined that a new policy is not needed. The Board direction through the Resolution passed on January 10, 2025, prohibiting the use of County resources and property for immigration activities, provides this direction, and this has been reaffirmed with all County department heads and directors. <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7087194&GUID=630532E8-1F20-41A1-9DF5-331527EAB540>
• Consideration of a Non-Collaboration Ordinance proposed by the Sanctuary Coalition of Sonoma County - The Ad Hoc met several times with the Sanctuary Coalition in order to consider the implementation of a Non-Collaboration Ordinance. The Ad Hoc offered to implement a non-codified ordinance within the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors, which could not legally be extended to apply to elected department heads, such as the Sheriff or the District Attorney. This Ordinance would not have resulted in new or changed policy, but rather it would have reaffirmed the state laws already in place and applicable to County operations. Given the lack of support from the Sanctuary Coalition on an effort that would exclude the Sheriff, this initiative was not pursued. The Ad Hoc decided to focus future efforts on exploring initiatives for direct community impact.
Next Steps
• Inventory of Local Immigrant Services - The Ad Hoc will be convening a meeting of local service providers who operate in the immigrant resource space. This facilitated, structured working meeting will be held in February or March. The intention is to inventory current resources and services, identify services gaps and access barriers, and help guide the future focus of the Ad Hoc’s work.
The Ad Hoc will return to the full Board later in the year with another update and potential recommendations for new initiatives or resources to address service gaps and community needs.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Healthy and Safe Communities
Goal: Goal 1: Expand integrated system of care to address gaps in services to the County’s most vulnerable.
Objective: Objective 2: Identify gaps in the Safety Net system of services and identify areas where departments can address those gaps directly, and seek guidance from the Board when additional resources and/or policy direction is needed.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
- 11/4/2025 - Provided direction to staff regarding development of a policy prohibiting specific enforcement activities on County-controlled properties - <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7720689&GUID=007E4CB2-66D8-4792-9F4A-8A72150CB9B1>
- 9/23/2025 - Board reviewed draft ordinance towards implementation of SB 627 - <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7662770&GUID=A2C7F5C5-B2D9-43D4-8D3D-D7B67FD2BAD4>
- 1/10/2025 - Board adopted a Resolution upholding the civil rights, dignity, health, and safety of the immigrant population and all Sonoma county community members. <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7087194&GUID=630532E8-1F20-41A1-9DF5-331527EAB540>
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There are no fiscal impacts related to this informational report.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A.
Attachments:
Sample attachments
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.