An Alameda County supervisor is proposing a policy for “ICE-Free Zones” and a response plan to protect immigrant communities from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions.
The plans by Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas were approved by the Alameda County Together for All Ad Hoc Committee to move forward to the full Board of Supervisors, which will vote on Tuesday.
“Our goal is simple: every resident should be able to access health care, courts, schools, and public services without fear,” Fortunato Bas said Friday in a statement. “ICE should not be above the law, disrupting our daily activities and endangering our communities.”
The proposals come as thousands of protesters have turned out in Minnesota to oppose an immigration crackdown ordered by the Trump administration that has lasted more than six weeks. A 37-year-old American citizen, Renee Good, was shot to death by an ICE agent on Jan. 7.
“Coordinated response plans and ICE-Free Zones are essential tools in building community safety and power during this time,” Fortunato Bas said.
One proposal would direct the county administrator to create a coordinated plan that details rapid-response protocols among county agencies, community partners, and government entities, according to Fortunato Bas’s statement.
“This plan includes staff training, public communication strategies, and measures to safeguard access to county services, courts, hospitals, and healthcare facilities,” the statement said.
The plan would set “ICE Free Zones” to prohibit the use of county-owned or county-controlled properties, including parking lots, vacant lots, garages, or nonpublic areas of buildings for ICE staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases.
Fortunato Bas represents the Fifth District, which includes the cities of Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and portions of Oakland.