Dear District 5 Resident,  

Today, as a co-founder of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Subcommittee, I presented a report to the Board on our initial findings and recommendations. I am pleased to report that the Board unanimously approved moving forward our proposed ordinance to prohibit the use of County facilities for federal civil immigration enforcement activities.   

The S.H.I.E.L.D. (which stands for “Safeguard Health, Inclusion, Essential Services, and Local Defense”) was established in late January in response to the escalation of immigration enforcement actions across the country. (Read my recent newsletter for more information on the purpose of S.H.I.E.L.D.) 

The Subcommittee started by reviewing existing County procedures related to immigration enforcement encounters in County facilities, with particular focus on departmental data collection and privacy protocols. We also researched what other jurisdictions are doing to limit federal immigration activities in their communities that might be replicated in Santa Cruz County. 

Another big focus has been on meeting with local and regional partners to gather input on how to best prepare the County for federal immigration activity. We met with local service providers to assess the impacts of federal policy on essential services, and began outreach and coordination efforts with regional partners, including federal and state representatives.  

Limiting Civil Immigration Enforcement on County Property  

Today, the Board approved moving forward an amendment to Santa Cruz County Code to prohibit the use of County-owned and County-controlled parking lots, open spaces, and buildings as staging areas, processing locations or operations bases for federal civil immigration enforcement activities, to the extent permissible by law. This ordinance will go to the Board for a second reading for final adoption on March 24.

Engaging with Our Local and Regional Partners 

The Subcommittee will continue to engage with local and regional community partners to strengthen coordination and ensure that County administrative actions are informed by on-the-ground conditions so that our efforts complement, rather than duplicate, existing community-led structures. Future outreach will also include coordination with cities, school districts, the County Office of Education, higher education institutions and relevant special districts.  

Reviewing and Strengthening Department Protocols  

The Subcommittee will continue to work with the County to develop a Countywide policy and training for all employees on how to prepare for and interact with immigration enforcement officers.  

Data Collection and Privacy  

Many members of the public expressed concern about what data the County collects and how that data is shared, as well as particular concern about data collected by Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras, such as FLOCK cameras. The County of Santa Cruz does not utilize ALPR cameras within its jurisdictional boundaries. However, the Sheriff’s Office does have access to a state data center that includes data collected by ALPRs in other districts. To address the public's concerns, the Inspector General will perform an audit of the policies of the Sheriff’s Office on accessing statewide data and compliance with those policies.    

Read the Report 

For more detailed information on the work of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Subcommittee, read the full Board report (available in English or Spanish) at www.santacruzcountyca.gov/Sanctuary.aspx (see March 10 item). Video of today’s presentation at the Board of Supervisor meeting will be available here in a day or two. 

Stay Tuned! 

The S.H.I.E.L.D. Subcommittee will provide its next updated report to the Board of Supervisors by May 19, 2026.  
 
If you have questions or feedback, feel free to contact my office or write to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Subcommittee at shield@santacruzcountyca.gov. 

Supervisor Monica Martinez
Rae Spencer-Hill, Staff Analyst
J.M. Brown, Staff Analyst
Megan Renfrew, Staff Analyst

Contact us: fifth.district@santacruzcountyca.gov
(831) 454-2200