Santa Cruz County supervisors on Tuesday approved a countywide policy outlining how County employees are to respond to federal immigration enforcement activity, while also receiving updates on local safeguards tied to immigration enforcement and surveillance technology.
The new “Federal Immigration Enforcement Engagement and Oversight Policy” establishes standardized procedures for County departments, facilities and staff when interacting with federal immigration agents.
County officials said the policy is intended to ensure responses are handled consistently and within legal boundaries while protecting employee and client privacy and maintaining access to public services.
Under the policy, county staff are not authorized to assist with enforcement of federal immigration law. Departments will designate trained response liaisons to handle interactions with immigration agents, and the policy lays out procedures related to confidential information, access to non-public areas and documentation of enforcement activity.
“The goal is to ensure every county employee understands the law, understands their responsibilities, and has clear guidance for how to respond if federal immigration agents appear at County facilities,” Board Chair Monica Martinez said in a statement.
Supervisor Felipe Hernandez said the policy is aimed at protecting both employees and public access to services.
“We want county employees and the public to know there are now clear, countywide procedures establishing responsibilities and the legal boundaries around federal immigration enforcement,” he said. “These policies are intended to help protect access to County services, support the safety of staff and clients.”
Supervisors also directed staff to implement countywide employee training related to the new protocols.
The board additionally received an update on implementation of County Code Chapter 10.07, which bars the use of county property for civil immigration enforcement activities. According to the County Executive Office, 20 county-owned or controlled sites have been identified for bilingual signage stating that county property may not be used for civil immigration enforcement operations.
Separately, supervisors accepted findings from an independent Office of Inspector General review of the Sheriff’s Office use of Automatic License Plate Recognition data. The review found no evidence that Sheriff’s Office personnel used the system for immigration enforcement purposes or improperly shared data with federal immigration authorities, according to the County.
