Alameda County Act for All Ad Hoc Committee Meeting - December 4, 2025

This meeting of the Alameda County Act for All (Together for All) Ad Hoc Committee was held on December 4, 2025, from 2:00 PM (UTC). The committee focused on two safety net issues: proposed changes to the public charge rule and food security amidst federal cuts. Supervisors Fortunato Bass and Marquez led the meeting, which included presentations from federal lobbyists, legal aid, the Alameda County Community Food Bank, and Oakland Thrives, as well as public comment.

Supervisor Opening Remarks

• Supervisor Marquez reported likely ICE activity in Hayward that day, reminding the public of their rights (right to remain silent, legal representation, not opening the door without a judicial warrant) and providing the A-CLIP hotline (510-241-4011). She urged community members to pause and verify law enforcement identity instead of assuming ICE.
• Supervisor Fortunato Bass noted confirmed ICE enforcement in Oakland and Fremont since the last meeting.

Discussion: Public Charge Rule Changes

• Lynn Jacques (CJ Lake, federal lobbyist) described a State Department circular greatly expanding consular discretion to deny visas based on speculative health or financial burden, with no appeal process. She also detailed the Department of Homeland Security’s November 17 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would rescind long-standing definitions of public charge, removing protections for means-tested benefit use and potentially allowing consideration of family members’ benefit receipt. Comment period closes December 19, 2025.
• Lisa Newstrom (Bay Area Legal Aid) presented a PowerPoint explaining current public charge rules (ABCs: who is subject, which benefits count, other factors). The proposed rule eliminates all prior regulatory guidance except for public charge bonds. It rejects the definitions of “primary dependency” and “means-tested,” allowing speculative health costs and incidental use to be considered. She noted that statutory exemptions for humanitarian immigrants remain.
• Supervisor Marquez confirmed that a Board comment letter on the NPRM had been drafted and requested copies for all supervisors. Lynn Jacques suggested scheduling an OIRA meeting to present county economic impact data.
• Supervisor Fortunato Bass asked about the timeline for final rule; Lynn Jacques explained there is no strict deadline, but the more comments, the longer the review.
• Lisa Newstrom reported that community advocacy on public charge is currently less active than in 2018-2019, but other issues (data sharing, eligibility changes) are adding to immigrant fear.

Discussion: Food Security

• Reggie Young (Alameda County Community Food Bank) described the impact of the federal government shutdown (SNAP freeze) on November 1, 2025. Pantry visits surged 30-100% above pandemic peaks. A survey found 50% of respondents were food insufficient (vs. 33% a year earlier) and 21% had never used a food distribution before. He warned that impending HR1 cuts will permanently remove tens of thousands from SNAP and reduce benefits for most recipients. The county’s $16.5M Measure W allocation plus $2M from other sources helped provide 1 million additional pounds of food in November.
• Melanie Moore (Oakland Thrives) reported on the Rapid Response Fund, which raised $1.1 million in 30 days (including $500K from Alameda County/ACOE/Supervisor Fortunato Bass, $500K from philanthropies, and later $100K from Haas Senior Fund). 74 grants ($5,000-$25,000 each) were distributed to 81 applicants (87% approval rate), prioritizing small grassroots organizations. 44% went to Oakland, 11% to Hayward, 8% to Fremont, 8% unincorporated, 6% Berkeley, 6% San Leandro. The fund closed November 26 but demand continues due to HR1.
• Alisa Cosmi (Supervisor Fortunato Bass’s office) described the food system roundtable convening over 60 partner organizations to coordinate food procurement, recovery, and distribution, with a focus on geographic equity and long-term sustainability.
• Supervisor Marquez raised capacity building for small organizations (e.g., refrigeration, technology) and the potential to include street vendors and restaurants in food distribution. Reggie Young confirmed that $8.3 million in remaining Measure W funds can be used for capacity building, with community-led allocation through Oakland Thrives.
• Supervisor Fortunato Bass emphasized that food is a human right and that the county’s farmland and urban agriculture should be leveraged. She stated that the remaining $182 million in Measure W should focus on safety net services. No formal vote was taken, but the committee expressed consensus on prioritizing safety net investments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mariselo Quinonez (Alameda County Office of Education) reported distribution of 5,500 grocery gift cards to support foster and homeless youth through 18 school districts, and upcoming communication on the Safe Pathways project to ensure student safety.
• Tony Panetta (Alameda Health Consortium) stated that safety net clinics are already seeing a suppression effect from current policies. He cited Kaiser Family Foundation research showing 40% of immigrant adults nationally (77% of undocumented) reporting negative health effects from immigration-related fears since January 2025. He urged the county to submit comments on the public charge rule and to pursue flexible enrollment (e.g., digital signatures).

Key Outcomes

• The committee will continue monitoring public charge developments; a board comment letter on the NPRM is expected before the December 19 deadline.
• The Rapid Response Fund for food security is closed, but ongoing demand is high; the committee will continue coordinating food system partners and exploring capacity building for grassroots organizations.
• Supervisors expressed intent to focus Measure W resources on safety net programs during the upcoming budget process.
• The next Ad Hoc Committee meeting is scheduled for January 15, 2026.