Sacramento Municipal Code Ch. 12.73 Restrictions on the Use of City Property for Civil Immigration Enforcement

The purpose of this chapter is to (1) implement Resolution No. 2026-0101, which directed the city manager to prohibit the use of city facilities and city property for immigration enforcement activities; (2) supplement existing city immigration policies, including Resolution No. 2017-0158 (Sanctuary City Resolution) and Resolution No. 2026-0018 (City's Immigration Platform), to protect public safety and promote community trust; and (3) ensure that city-owned or city-controlled property is not used to support civil immigration enforcement activities except when mandated by a judicial warrant or court order. (Ord. 2026-0012 § 1)

The following definitions apply in this chapter:

"City property" means any real property, land, building, facility, structure, or space owned, leased, operated, or controlled by the city that is not open to the public.

"Civil immigration enforcement" means any investigation, detention, arrest, surveillance, monitoring, questioning, information-gathering, or operational activity undertaken for the primary purpose of enforcing federal civil immigration laws.

"Judicial warrant or court order" means a warrant or order issued by a federal or state judge or magistrate.

"Surveillance" means observing, recording, monitoring, or collecting information about individuals for civil immigration enforcement purposes, including through cameras, license plate readers, drones, or other technologies. (Ord. 2026-0012 § 1)

Except as provided in section 12.73.040, no city property may be used for staging civil immigration enforcement operations; for processing, interviewing, or temporarily detaining individuals for civil immigration enforcement; for surveillance or monitoring activities related to civil immigration enforcement; or for use as an operations base, coordination point, or logistical hub for civil immigration enforcement. (Ord. 2026-0012 § 1)

Nothing in this chapter prevents the city or any city employee from complying with a judicial warrant or court order. Nothing in this chapter restricts criminal law enforcement activities on city property where civil immigration enforcement is not the primary purpose. (Ord. 2026-0012 § 1)

The city manager, in consultation with the city attorney, shall develop any administrative procedures necessary to implement this chapter. City departments shall receive training, as necessary, regarding the requirements of this chapter and any applicable administrative procedures. (Ord. 2026-0012 § 1)

This chapter does not create or form the basis of liability on the part of the city or any city department, agency, official, or employee, nor does it create a private right of action against the city or any city personnel. (Ord. 2026-0012 § 1)

If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, or by reason of any preemptive legislation, that invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this chapter. The city council declares that it would have enacted this chapter and each section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, and word irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words be declared invalid. (Ord. 2026-0012 § 1)