Alameda County Together for All Ad Hoc Committee Meeting - July 17, 2026

The Alameda County Together for All (Act for All) Ad Hoc Committee convened on July 17, 2026, at 11:15 AM to monitor the impacts of federal immigration enforcement on county residents and to coordinate proactive responses. The meeting opened with a moment of silence for five individuals who died in ICE-related incidents in the preceding week, bringing the total to 22 deaths in immigration detention this calendar year. Supervisors Nikki Fortunato Bas and Lena Marquez led the session, which included updates on state guidance, a legal landscape presentation, county ICE-free zone implementation, and reports from three community coalitions. The board announced a planned extension of coalition contracts through June 2027 and outlined a forthcoming request for proposals (RFP) for sustained immigrant and refugee services.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Thirteen speakers provided public comment, largely representing community organizations and impacted families.
• Multiple speakers from Trabajadores Unidos Workers United and ACUDIER urged the board to continue funding the three coalitions (A-CLIP, Accord, ACUDIER) and to create an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.
• Speakers highlighted the need for additional funding for Southeast Asian and African immigrant communities, citing language access gaps and a 900% increase in ICE detentions of Southeast Asians since 2025.
• A family member testified that her husband, Fernando Cruz Sanchez, was kidnapped by ICE on July 11 without a warrant, leaving her and their children in distress.
• The Alameda County Office of Education reported that ICE has detained over 650 California children between October 2025 and March 2026, and that they have distributed more than 100,000 red cards in seven languages at 70 schools.
• Several commenters requested that the RFP process include input from frontline organizations and that multi-year funding be provided to avoid disruption.

Discussion Items

1. Guidance on SB 580 (Safe and Secure Government Access)

• A representative from the California Attorney General’s office was unexpectedly unable to attend. Supervisor Fortunato Bas summarized the five core principles of SB 580: (1) state and local resources should not assist immigration enforcement except as required by law; (2) limit collection and disclosure of information that could identify undocumented individuals; (3) require judicial warrants before complying with requests; (4) direct all inquiries to designated legal staff; and (5) document all interactions with immigration authorities. The webinar recording is available at OAG.ca.gov/care/community-briefings.

2. Immigrant and Refugee Rights Landscape Update (Immigrant Legal Resource Center)

• Managing Attorney Jayhan Lehner presented four key threats:
  • Loss of legal status: termination of legal pathways, travel bans, and adjudication pauses; the Supreme Court recently ended TPS for certain groups.
  • Aggressive enforcement: targeted arrests at courts, check-ins, and workplaces; random arrests via traffic stops and racial profiling. In the Bay Area, targeted arrests have increased, but random arrests remain lower due to the absence of a local detention center.
  • Expanded detention infrastructure: California City now has the largest ICE detention center in the state (2,500 beds). Threats include the proposed repurposing of FCI Dublin (900 beds) and a new processing center in Gilroy. The county board passed a resolution opposing FCI Dublin’s use for immigration detention.
  • Fast-tracked deportations: the Board of Immigration Appeals has issued biased rulings limiting relief, and immigration courts are rejecting applications on pretextual grounds.
• Lehner emphasized the need for continued data privacy protections, especially regarding automated license plate readers (FLOCK cameras), and for maintaining rapid response networks.

3. County ICE-Free Zones and Readiness Plans Update

• Marita Semora, Director of Human Resource Services, reported that meet-and-confer with all employee organizations concluded on July 3, and countywide employee guidelines for responding to immigration enforcement were issued on July 8. An online training program was launched; as of the meeting, over 100 employees had accessed it. The training is not mandatory but will be strongly encouraged via a second email blast.
• Kimberly Gasway, Director of General Services Agency, stated that 96 signs have been installed at county-owned or leased properties, fire district properties, and surplus property authority sites. The signs read: "This property is owned or controlled by the County of Alameda. It may not be used for any civil immigration enforcement activity, including staging area, processing location, or operations base."
• Supervisor Marquez noted that the employee guidelines prioritize safety, immediate notification of supervisors, knowledge of rights, and documentation. A communication protocol for executive-level notification in the event of ICE enforcement was also outlined, including notifying the mayor, city manager, and the Social Services Agency to coordinate community resources.

4. Coalition Overviews (A-CLIP, Accord, ACUDIER)

• A-CLIP (Alameda County Legal and Immigrant Protection): Co-led by Centro Legal de la Raza and partners. Provided 8,500 know-your-rights trainings, distributed 25,000 red cards, verified 120 reported sightings, facilitated 85 accompaniments, filed 75 substantive legal filings (including habeas petitions with 100% success rate), and secured the release of over 50 clients from custody. The hotline now operates seven days a week, 6 AM to 6 PM, following expansion in October 2025. A new community care component supports families post-arrest. The coalition recently added a partnership with Jewish Family and Community Services.
• Accord (Alameda County Coalition for Removal Defense): Lisa Knopps, director of the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, reported that the coalition expanded from 4 to 8 organizations. In the first year, they served nearly 1,000 community members, far exceeding targets. In the most recent quarter, they provided 2,000% of their target for community education events. Roughly one-third of clients were in ICE detention. The coalition has focused on serving detained residents, with 23 emergency legal consultations for Southeast Asians facing deportation. A PILO filed habeas petitions that stopped the deportation of two brothers. Accord emphasized the need for continued funding and an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to improve data sharing and referral systems.
• ACUDIER (Alameda County United in Defense for Immigrant Rights): Represented by Trabajadores Unidos Workers United. Reported 56 community members developed as leaders, 12,500 materials distributed, and 37 impacted individuals and families connected to resources. The coalition has grown to include five new organizations serving AAPI and youth communities (e.g., Asian Health Services, Asian Prisoner Support Committee, Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants). Trends observed include pressure to sign self-deportation, poor detention conditions, wage theft, and food insecurity. In the last two months, three community members were kidnapped in Eden area; four more were kidnapped in the past week in Berkeley, Hayward, Castro Valley, and Livermore. ACUDIER called for emergency relief for impacted families and long-term funding.

Key Outcomes

• Contract Extensions: Supervisor Marquez announced that the three coalition contracts (A-CLIP, Accord, ACUDIER) will be extended through June 2027. The Social Services Agency and Interim Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs will develop an RFP for a competitive procurement process, expected to be released in no less than four months. The goal is to sustain and expand services while addressing gaps, particularly for Southeast Asian and African immigrant communities.
• Board Direction: The board will receive a full presentation on the Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Office implementation study at a work session on July 28, 2026, at 3:00 PM. The board approved $3.3 million for this fiscal year from Measure W Essential Services Fund for immigrant and refugee support.
• Data and Inclusivity: Supervisors called for improved data collection on demographic trends, including loss of work authorization, and for protocols to ensure that families of individuals taken by ICE are quickly connected to support, even if not reported to the hotline. Additional outreach to AAPI and African immigrant communities was urged.
• Regional Opposition: The board expressed continued opposition to the proposed FCI Dublin detention facility and the Gilroy processing center, and will consider joining amicus briefs.
• Volunteer and Resource Coordination: ACUDIER’s monthly coalition meetings (Wednesdays at noon) and anti-deportation organizing committee were highlighted as entry points for volunteers. The Stand Together Bay Area Fund (San Francisco Foundation) remains a resource for direct financial assistance.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned in memory of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Johan Sebastian Guerrero, and Jesus Manuel Arenas Silva, who died in ICE-related incidents the week of July 10–17, 2026.