Immigration
Overview
The Stockton Police Department (SPD) is committed to
building trust, keeping our communities safe, and
complying with state laws. This page explains how the
Department handles situations involving immigration, the laws and policies that guide our officers, and how SPD
communicates about these matters.
Stockton Police does not enforce
federal immigration law.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is for
educational and informational purposes only. For legal
assistance, please contact an attorney.
Legal Guidelines
California Senate Bill 54 prohibits Stockton Police
Officers from investigating, detaining, or arresting
people solely based on their immigration status.
Stockton Police officers do not ask about immigration
status, do not participate in immigration enforcement
task forces, and do not assist with immigration arrests. ...“
Officers shall not inquire into an individualʼs
immigration status for immigration enforcement
purposes.” (Government Code § 7284.6)
Refer to SPD Policy - 414 Immigration Violations, as it outlines Stockton Police officer requirements related to undocumented persons.
Calls For Emergency Assistance
Stockton Police officers have an obligation to provide
emergency assistance to members of the public and all
law enforcement agencies, including those conducting
immigration enforcement operations.
What Senate Bill 54 (SB54) Allows
SB54 allows Stockton Police Officers to respond when
federal authorities call for emergency help, even if federal immigration agents are present. Our involvement is limited to addressing violations of California state law or threats to public safety. Our focus is on ensuring a safe environment, not enforcing immigration law.
Stockton Police is oftentimes not aware of immigration enforcement operations happening in our city ahead of time, and officers may not have a complete picture of what has occurred when we receive a 9-1-1 call, either from a community member or a federal agent.
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California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued an Information Bulletin in January 2025 for law enforcement agencies about SB54, which contains the following guidance:
“Nothing in the Values Act prohibits a California law enforcement agency from asserting its own jurisdiction over criminal law enforcement matters… This includes circumstances in which an officer is responding to a call for service involving a violation of a state criminal law or during an immigration enforcement action where the safety of the public or a law enforcement officer, including an immigration enforcement officer, is in danger.” Federal Law
Federal law says, "no one, including local police, can interfere with federal agents doing their job. Under the Supremacy Clause, federal laws generally supersede local or state laws." Public Communication
Stockton
Police takes pride in communicating
transparently and efficiently regarding crime and safety issues in our city. When the Stockton Police Department receives a call for emergency assistance that is related to immigration enforcement, we will:
Provide information, as available, to elected
officials regarding the date and location of the
incident, Stockton Police's purpose for
involvement, and the timeline of our involvement
(time of arrival, departure, etc)
Provide information, as available, when requested
by the media
Stockton Police will not:
Provide information on the federal investigation,
including the nature of the case, subjects involved, or outcomes. We will only provide information about the
Departmentʼs involvement.
There may be instances when Stockton Police
operations are misidentified as immigration enforcement (warrant service, task force activity, SWAT operations, etc.). In these cases, officers are encouraged to clarify that the incident is a Stockton Police operation unrelated to immigration enforcement, if asked by the community
or media.
Locating a person:
If an individual has been arrested for an
immigration-related civil violation, they are
typically held in an immigration detention facility.
Family members can locate individuals in
immigration custody through the following online
resource:
Immigration Custody Locator.
If an individual has been arrested for a criminal
offense — including criminal immigration
violations — they are generally held under the
custody of the U.S. Marshals Service or the
Bureau of Prisons. These individuals can be
located via the following link:
Federal Inmate
Locator.
Resources:
El Concilio
Last Update : 11/13/2025, 12:00:49 PM
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