San Francisco Creates 'ICE Free Zones' on City Property

- San Francisco's history as a sanctuary city dates back to its 1989 "City and County of Refuge" Ordinance, which restricted city employees from using public funds or resources to aid federal immigration enforcement unless required by law. This was preceded by a 1985 "City of Refuge" resolution. - The "ICE Free Zones" ordinance was co-authored by Supervisors Bilal Mahmood and Chyanne Chen. It grants the City Attorney the authority to pursue legal action against any organization that uses city property in a way that disrupts the city's operations. - This new law builds upon the 2013 "Due Process for All" Ordinance, which already limited local law enforcement's cooperation with ICE by restricting advance notice of individuals' release from jail and prohibiting compliance with ICE detainer requests. - The creation of these zones is part of a larger regional movement; other Bay Area communities, including Richmond, San Jose, Oakland, and the counties of Santa Clara and Alameda, have enacted comparable ordinances. - Past ICE activity in San Francisco has included arrests at the immigration court, which has led to the cancellation of hearings and sparked protests, thereby interrupting judicial proceedings. - Studies by the Urban Institute indicate that increased immigration enforcement can deter immigrant families from participating in public activities and utilizing city services. - While there has been no specific statement on this ordinance, the Department of Homeland Security has previously responded to the creation of similar zones in other cities by stating that the agency will "not be deterred from enforcing immigration law." - In recent years, protests against ICE's presence and actions in San Francisco have occurred, with one instance involving demonstrators chaining themselves to the entrance of a federal immigration services building.