Pinole Adopts Ordinance Restricting Use of City Property for Civil Immigration Enforcement Activities

At its regular meeting on December 16, 2025, the Pinole City Council adopted the addition of Chapter 2.68 to Title 2 of the Pinole Municipal Code, “Use of City-Owned or City-Controlled Property for Civil Immigration Enforcement Activities,” restricting the use of City-owned or City-controlled property for federal civil immigration enforcement activities. This ordinance helps ensure that City properties continue to serve the community and are not used to support civil immigration enforcement without judicial oversight.

Pinole is the first Bay Area city to ban Federal Immigration Enforcement activities on City-owned or City-controlled property.

The ordinance reflects the City’s commitment to public safety, community trust, and the responsible use of local government resources. Pinole is home to residents of diverse racial, ethnic, and national backgrounds, including a significant immigrant population that contributes to the City’s economic, civic, and cultural vitality.

City leaders emphasized that trust between local government and the community is essential to public safety. When residents fear that City property may be used for immigration enforcement activities, they are less likely to call for help, report a crime, or access City programs or services, which can negatively affect the entire community.

Under the ordinance, City property may not be knowingly used for activities such as staging federal civil immigration enforcement operations; processing, interviewing, or temporarily detaining individuals for civil immigration purposes; or conducting surveillance related to civil immigration enforcement, unless compelled by a judicial warrant or court order. The ordinance does not restrict criminal law enforcement activities, nor does it prevent federal officers from accessing areas of City property that are generally open to the public. While maintaining the City’s obligation to comply with lawful judicial warrants or court orders, the ordinance establishes an “ICE-Free Zone” policy for City-owned and City-controlled properties.

“I want every family in Pinole to hear this clearly: you belong here, and you deserve to feel safe,” said Mayor Emeritus Cameron Sasai. “People cannot thrive when they are living in a state of constant fear. Pinole is taking a firm stand for the dignity and the equal protection of all our residents.”

The ordinance affirms the City’s authority under California law to regulate the use of its own property and operations and is consistent with established principles of local control and federalism. It does not regulate the conduct of federal agencies themselves but rather governs how City-owned or City-controlled assets may be used.

Implementation of the ordinance will be overseen by the Acting City Manager, in consultation with the City Attorney, including the development of administrative procedures and training for City departments as appropriate.

The ordinance will take effect 30 days after final adoption, in accordance with California Government Code Section 36937.

For more information on Chapter 2.68, please visit the City of Pinole website or contact the City Clerk (510) 724-8928.

If residents witness activities they believe violate the ordinance, they may report the concern to the City Manager’s Office or the Pinole Police Department. Concerns about federal civil immigration enforcement conduct may also be reported to the California Attorney General’s ICE Misconduct Reporting Portal, which accepts statewide complaints: https://oag.ca.gov/reportmisconduct