APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
___________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER ROWENA BROWN
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY BILL 1537
(BRYAN) WHICH WOULD (1) PROHIBIT CALIFORNIA PEACE
OFFICERS FROM WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING FOR ANY ENTITY
THAT ENGAGES IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, (2) ESTABLISH
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THAT RESTRICTION AS GROUNDS FOR
DECERTIFICATION AS A PEACE OFFICER, (3) REQUIRE PEACE
OFFICERS TO REPORT ANY SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT RELATED
TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, AND (4) REQUIRE THAT
RECORDS RELATED TO SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT OF PEACE
OFFICERS BE PUBLIC RECORDS
WHEREAS, Oakland’s immigrant community is a core part of our city’s social and cultural fabric; over 25% of Oaklanders are immigrants, and each day immigrants make valuable contributions across our city, including in our businesses, schools, cultural institutions, hospitals, and in City Hall; and
WHEREAS, on January 22, 2019, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 13515 C.M.S., the Sanctuary City Ordinance, which strengthened the City’s policy of non -cooperation with federal immigration agencies, which was previously established and amended by Resolutions No. 63950, 80584, and 86498 C.M.S., and reaffirmed by Resolution No. 87036 C.M.S.; and
WHEREAS, federal immigration enforcement efforts escalated significantly in 2025 nationally, regionally, and in Oakland, destabilizing the lives of immigrants in our city and negatively impacting their ability to access community and social services; and
WHEREAS, existing California state law allows off-duty peace officers to seek secondary employment, independently contract, or volunteer with federal immigration agencies; and
WHEREAS, peace officers, such as those in the Oakland Police Department, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, and the California Highway Patrol; are entrusted with sensitive information about members of our immigrant community, such as identity and biographical information, contact and location information, victim and witness information, criminal history, and traffic records; and
2 WHEREAS, sensitive personal information that is accessible to peace officers can place Oakland’s immigrants at risk if intentionally or unintentionally shared with federal immigration authorities while off duty; and
WHEREAS, it is crucial for the safety and wellbeing of our community that our immigrant community can trust peace officers without fear that their personal information or any information that they share with an officer will be used for federal immigration enforcement; and
WHEREAS, California Assembly Bill (AB) 1537, introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, would prohibit a peace officer from being employed by, or being an independent contractor of or volunteer for, the United States Department of Homeland Security or its contractor s or any other entity that assists with or engages in immigration enforcement; and it would require a peace officer to report to their employing law enforcement agency any secondary employment relating to immigration enforcement; and
WHEREAS, AB 1537 would provide that failure to comply with the secondary employment restriction constitutes an act of dishonesty and is grounds for decertification as a peace officer, and the bill would also explicitly state that records related to secondary employment of peace officers are public records for the purposes of the California Public Records Act; and
WHEREAS, by ensuring that our peace officers’ ability to explore secondary employment opportunities does not come into conflict with our commitment to protecting our immigrant communities, AB 1537 will help Oakland more effectively embody our Sanctuary City status ; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That the City of Oakland supports AB 1537 (Bryan) in the California State Legislature; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City Council directs the City Administrator to immediately distribute this Resolution upon its adoption to Governor Gavin Newsom and State Assemblymember Isaac Bryan.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - BROWN, FIFE, GALLO, HOUSTON, RAMACHANDRAN, UNGER, WANG, AND
PRESIDENT JENKINS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
3454801/LL