Immigration Information

San Pablo Badge - NEWA Message From The Chief

Brian P. Bubar, Chief of Police


The San Pablo Police Department has worked tirelessly to build rapport and mutual respect with every member of our community. We remain committed to serving and protecting all members of our community, regardless of their immigration status.

 

The San Pablo Police Department remains committed to our values of providing exceptional service to every member of our community. We want to assure our residents, the San Pablo Police Department does not participate in immigration enforcement, nor do we partner with federal agencies in carrying out immigration enforcement activities. This commitment was established March 6, 2017 by City Council Resolution #2017-045, which was reaffirmed by city leadership in December 2024. 


                                                                                                                                                    

What is the difference between Federal Immigration Officers and San Pablo Police Officers?

 

SAN PABLO POLICE OFFICERS DO NOT INQUIRE ABOUT IMMIGRATION STATUS. San Pablo Police Officers will only contact you for non-immigration criminal investigations, traffic safety, community outreach, or general public safety issues.   

 

Regarding Immigration enforcement, the men and women who proudly serve our community adhere to department policies and procedures and federal, state, and local laws: 

 

San Pablo Police Department Policy 428: Immigration Violations outlines the following:

 

    • Officers shall not inquire into an individual’s immigration status for immigration enforcement purposes (428.4 SPPD) 
    • Officers shall not detain any individual, for any length of time, for a civil violation of federal immigration laws (428.5 SPPD)
    • Absent an urgent issue of officer safety, requests by federal immigration officials should be directed to a supervisor (428.6 SPPD)

 San Pablo Police Department’s policies and procedures adhere to the California Values Act (SB 54).

 

    • Officers shall not utilize California law enforcement databases to assist with immigration enforcement (7284.6 GOV) 
    • Officers shall not assist with immigration “Raid” activities for immigration violations. (7284.6 GOV)

Residents seeking further information or assistance with Immigration concerns should contact the California Department of Social Services at https:/www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/immigration

Spanish translation: Haga cli aquí para traducción al español

The Immigrant Tenant Protection Act

Enacted into State law on January 1, 2018, this existing California law protects tenants in CA from housing discrimination and harassment based on their immigration status, as follows:

  • Prohibits information sharing: Landlords cannot share a tenant's immigration status with immigration authorities, law enforcement, or other agencies. 
  • Prohibits threats: Landlords and attorneys cannot intimidate or threaten to report tenants to immigration authorities or use that information to try to force tenants to leave their homes. 
  • Right to sue: Tenants can sue landlords who report them to immigration authorities. 
  • Prohibits questions: Questions about a tenant's immigration status are not allowed during discovery or at trial. 
  • Codifies defense: The State law codifies an existing defense to unlawful evictions based on immigration status. 

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