Oakland mayor signs executive orders limiting city cooperation with ICE and creating “Protect the Town” task force

New directives focus on city property, interagency coordination, and police independence amid federal enforcement concerns

Oakland officials moved Thursday, January 29, 2026, to expand local safeguards for immigrant residents through two executive orders signed by Mayor Barbara Lee. The orders direct city departments to coordinate a response to anticipated federal immigration enforcement activity and to limit how Oakland resources can be used in such operations.

The actions come as federal officials have signaled intensified immigration enforcement efforts in several U.S. cities, with local governments in the Bay Area exploring policies meant to reduce contact between residents and federal immigration authorities during daily civic life.

What the executive orders do

The mayor’s directives establish a coordinated structure across city departments and set operational limits on federal immigration activity on city-controlled sites. City officials said the goal is to protect residents and municipal operations while keeping Oakland in compliance with applicable law.

• Creation of a “Protect the Town Task Force” charged with coordinating interdepartmental planning, supporting public education on residents’ rights, and providing regular public updates.

• Limits on the use of city property by federal immigration authorities, including an explicit prohibition on using city-owned or city-controlled property as a staging area, processing location, or operations base for federal civil immigration enforcement.

• Direction reaffirming that the Oakland Police Department will not assist federal immigration authorities with civil immigration enforcement and will maintain operational independence from any federal forces that might be deployed in the city.

How the orders fit with existing local policy

Oakland has long maintained policies aimed at separating local public safety and city services from civil immigration enforcement. City materials describing Oakland’s approach note that Oakland has identified itself as a City of Refuge since 1986 and reaffirmed sanctuary commitments in later years. The city’s sanctuary ordinance and related police policies describe limits on cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, including restrictions on sharing certain non-public information and limits on assistance to immigration authorities except under specified circumstances such as when required by law.

The new executive orders are designed to operationalize those protections across departments, with specific attention to city property use and coordinated response planning.

Regional backdrop: funding, ordinances, and legal preparation

In recent months, Alameda County has approved additional funding for immigrant legal services and rapid response efforts intended to verify reports of immigration enforcement activity and connect residents with legal support. Elsewhere in the Bay Area, Santa Clara County adopted an ordinance restricting immigration enforcement agencies from using county-owned property for enforcement staging activities, reflecting a broader regional push for clearer rules governing local facilities.

Oakland’s task force is expected to work with state partners on preparedness and potential legal responses if conflicts arise over the use of local resources or facilities. City officials have said the intent is to protect residents while maintaining clear boundaries between municipal functions and federal civil immigration enforcement.