Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – The County of Marin Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal at its Tuesday, October 20 Board meeting to prohibit the use of County property for certain federal immigration enforcement operations, protect confidential information and require reporting of interactions with federal immigration officials. The proposal comes amid increased federal immigration enforcement in Marin and nationwide, raising concerns about constitutional protections, due process and the impact on immigrant families. This action is consistent with the Board of Supervisors Resolution in January 2025 affirming its commitment to democracy, justice, equity and inclusion and reaffirm the county's core values ahead of the federal administration transition and to push back against potential federal policies targeting undocumented immigrants.
“Immigration enforcement has created fear for many families in our community,” said County Executive Derek Johnson. “People need to be able to turn to their local government for services and support. We have a responsibility to protect that trust and be clear about what the County can and cannot do.”
If adopted, the proposal would:
- Prohibit federal immigration agencies from using County-owned or controlled property as staging areas, processing locations or bases of operations for immigration enforcement operations, except where required by law.
- Require federal immigration officials seeking access to nonpublic County facilities to present a judicial warrant or other legally sufficient authority.
- Reinforce existing restrictions on sharing confidential County-held information for federal immigration enforcement, consistent with state and federal law.
- Require County employees to report immigration enforcement activity on County property to the County Executive within 24 hours of learning of it. Require the Sheriff's Office and Probation Department to report monthly to County Counsel regarding interactions with federal immigration officials.
The County of Marin has had administrative practices in place to address immigration enforcement activities, and surrounding jurisdictions also have policies that restrict the use of local government property and resources for immigration enforcement. The proposed adoption aligns the County of Marin's approach with those jurisdictions. No local agency has authority to directly regulate federal immigration enforcement operations nor generally preclude federal officers from entering public places such as parking lots or public lobbies. The County does, however, have authority within the limits of federal and state law to control access to nonpublic areas of County facilities and to restrict whether and how County property, personnel, and resources may be used to assist with immigration enforcement.
"I am proud that Marin County is taking another important step to protect our communities and stand up against unlawful federal immigration enforcement,” said Supervisor Dennis Rodoni. “No one should live in fear or feel unsafe accessing County services because of their immigration status. We have a responsibility to protect the rights and dignity of all our residents, defend due process, and ensure County resources aren't used to support immigration enforcement activities that undermine the trust we have worked so hard to build."
In 2026, the Board allocated an additional $1 million for immigration legal services, emergency assistance, and the Marin Rapid Response Network, bringing its two-year investment to $1.5 million. The Public Defender's Office also added an immigration attorney to expand its defense capacity. The County is also a plaintiff in San Francisco versus Trump, a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's efforts to withhold or condition federal funding based on local policies limiting participation in federal civil immigration enforcement. In June 2026, the Board authorized the County to join an amicus brief supporting Santa Clara County and the State of California’s legal challenge to a proposed federal immigration detention facility near Gilroy. The County of Marin will continue to pursue available legal avenues to support immigrant community members and families, whose contributions are integral to Marin's social, cultural and economic life.
The Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday, October 20, at 9 am in Board Chambers, Room 330, at the Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. The Community can attend in person or participate remotely by Zoom or phone. Meeting materials, participation instructions and information about providing public comment are available on the Board of Supervisors meetings webpage. Immigration legal assistance and other support resources are available on the County's Immigrant Rights & Resources webpage.