TO: RULES AND OPEN FROM: Councilmember Ortiz
GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Councilmember Candelas
Councilmember Campos
Councilmember Doan
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: September 25, 2025
Approved: Date: 9/25/25
SUBJECT: Prepare a Plan of Action to Support San José’s Immigrant Community
RECOMMENDATION
Direct the City Manager’s Office to work in partnership with the County of Santa Clara to prepare a comprehensive plan of action to better support San José’s immigrant community in response to the increased federal immigration enforcement activity taking place in our city. The plan shall include the following components:
1. Local Coordination and Response
2. Employer Education and Outreach
3. Public Safety During Major Events
4. Data Collection and Privacy Protections (the City’s Flock Network and the City’s Automatic License Plate Readers)
BACKGROUND
San José has long been a proud city of immigrants. The contributions of immigrants deeply enrich our families, workforce, and neighborhoods, and many of our residents live in mixedstatus households. However, recent escalations in federal immigration enforcement operations within our city have caused fear and disruption in the daily lives of our immigrant neighbors.
The City of San José has a longstanding commitment to supporting our immigrant and undocumented communities. We work to safeguard the safety, dignity, and trust of all our residents. Since 2016, with the establishment of the Office of Immigrant Affairs, now known as the Office of Racial Equity and Social Equity, the City has taken a proactive role in promoting inclusion, advancing access to services, and building trust within immigrant communities.
Families need to feel secure seeking city services, children should feel safe attending school, and residents need to be able to report crimes or emergencies without fear of retaliation or deportation.
RULES COMMITTEE: 10/1/2025
ITEM: C.2
RULES AND OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
10/1/2025
Both the City of San José and Santa Clara County have demonstrated leadership in immigrant inclusion and protection. A joint and coordinated effort will build on this shared foundation and strengthen our community’s resilience, ensuring that resources are deployed effectively and equitably.
Key Components of the Immigrant Protection Plan
1.Local Coordination and Response
• Present cost-effective options for City Council consideration to expand the City’s role in coordinating local response, including:
o Developing clear jurisdictional roles and responsibilities and inter-agency protocols i.e., County, local school districts, non-profits, etc. o Exploring joint funding plans to support coordinated efforts o Establish protocols for information-sharing
2.Employer Education and Outreach
• Provide updated reports on current employer education and outreach efforts, including those offered to small businesses, business partners, and business associations.
• The report should detail work in informing and training employers on worker rights and include sample practices and protocols that can be implemented to support immigrant workers, clients, and the public from potential ICE enforcement actions at their worksites.
3.Public Safety During Major Events
• Include education and outreach in the Office of Economic Development’s engagement of major sports venues in the City, including SAP, PayPal & World Cup/Superbowl host committee. This outreach should include recommendations from the Immigration Protection and Empowerment Network to enhance the safety of our immigrant population while encouraging them to participate.
4.Data Collection and Privacy Protections (the City’s Flock Network and the City’s Automatic License Plate Readers)
• Provide a report to the city council on a review of the City’s data collection, storage, and sharing policies to ensure immigrant privacy protections, including but not limited to
• the City’s Flock Network, and
• the City’s Automatic License Plate Readers