Supervisors advance ordinance to limit federal law enforcement’s access at county facilities

By Paul Levikow

January 14, 2026 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday advanced a new law that would prohibit federal agents from accessing non-public areas at County facilities unless they have a warrant or court order.

The Civil Liberties Enforcement and Accountability Rules (CLEAR) Ordinance is based on the city of San Diego’s Due Process and Safety Ordinance that was adopted by the City Council in October.

County officials say the purpose of the ordinance is to establish protections to ensure that County facilities and contracts are not utilized in a manner that facilitates discrimination, unlawful detention, or the criminalization of individuals based on protected characteristics. Those characteristics include immigration status, disability status, gender identity or expression, reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare history, or political or religious beliefs.

The Board vote comes almost a week after a Minnesota woman was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis. The CLEAR Ordinance passed 3-1 with Supervisor Joel Anderson voting no and Supervisor Jim Desmond absent. A final vote on the ordinance was scheduled for Jan. 28. If approved again, it would be come law 30 days after that.

Board Chair Tara Lawson-Remer (right) mentioned the fatal shooting in her remarks before the vote, asking “Why was ICE there at all? Was ICE making our communities more safe or less safe? ICE is an immigration agency. It is not a federal police force. Our police force is local,” she said.

“ICE has been expanded and militarized and sent into communities like those in Minnesota without clarity of purpose or transparency,” Lawson-Remer said. “The CLEAR Ordinance draws a clear line. It says our public buildings need to be places of care and not fear. It says federal agencies need to act transparently. The CLEAR Ordinance makes it abundantly clear that no one operates above the constitution, above the rule of law.

“We cannot undo what happened in Minnesota, but we can decide what kind of local government we will be here in San Diego.”

The proposed action aims to promote fairness and equal treatment in the justice system by preventing discriminatory practices that disproportionately impact immigrant communities. The approach supports the County’s commitment to social justice and inclusion, fostering trust and cooperation between immigrant communities and the County, which is essential for effectively keeping all of our communities safe, according to an Equity Impact Statement that was included in documentation supporting the ordinance.

“When people are afraid to move freely in their communities, trust breaks down and our communities suffer,” said Eddie Meyer (left), senior policy advocate for the American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties.

“San Diego County has the responsibility to ensure that all of its residents’ rights are protected and upheld,” Meyer said during the public comment portion of the Board meeting. “Protecting civil liberties strengthens trust, communities, and public safety.”

La Mesa resident Connie Elder, who organizes weekly protests in front of El Cajon’s Parkway Plaza, also addressed the Board.

“As elected leaders, one of your most fundamental responsibilities is to provide a safe, secure environment, free of oppression to all people,” she said.

Bob Scott (right) of Carmel Valley also spoke in support of the CLEAR Ordinance.

“A lot of outrage has been expressed today. I am outraged by what Trump and his administration is doing to destroy our democracy, especially through the use of ICE,” Scott said. “San Diego County should not be complicit in any way in destroying our democracy and that’s what is happening.”

A woman who identified herself as “Pamela No on 8” (left) spoke out against the law, which was item 8 on the Board agenda.

“The calls for interfering and harming ICE is grotesque and disgusting. They put targets on ICE then blame ICE for defending themselves. The left doesn’t care about any person at all, no matter your skin color,” she said. “This proposed action does not promote fairness and equal treatment in the justice system. It is discriminating against communities of lawful American citizens. It does not protect them. This item interferes with federal law enforcement, increasing risk of danger to the officers and the public.”

The Board of Supervisors has determined that the County is committed to ensuring the civil rights of all county residents and that protected personal activity means actions that an individual has the right to undertake free from undue governmental interference, discrimination, or criminalization under either federal or state law.

Personal activities are defined as reproductive healthcare services; gender affirming healthcare; gender affirming mental health care; exercising First Amendment rights, including expressing political or religious opinions.

Protected personal characteristics means an individual’s actual or perceived attributes that are safeguarded from discrimination under state law, including immigration or citizenship status; disability status; gender identity, gender expression, or transgender status; sexual orientation; race, ethnicity, national origin, or language; and marital or familial status.

If the CLEAR Ordinance is adopted, signs will be placed in county buildings and will read as follows:

“NOTICE: This facility is protected by the San Diego Due Process and Safety Ordinance. Non-public areas may not be accessed by federal agents, out-of-state law enforcement, or private enforcement actors unless they present a judicially issued warrant or court order. You have the constitutional right to decline to speak with any such individuals without legal representation.”

The signs will also be posted in Spanish and include a QR code that will link to other languages as well.

If the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office responds to a call for service related to law enforcement activity by federal law enforcement agency personnel or others listed, the office “shall issue a publicly available incident report within three business days of the response,” according to the ordinance.

Further, the report shall include the names of all agencies present; whether a judicial warrant was presented by any agency to the San Diego County Sheriff; and any available identifying information of the law enforcement personnel involved, like badge numbers, and agency designations, or the private party acting under color of law enforcement authority.