Residents Urge Supervisors To End Cooperation With ICE, Halt Federal Funding Program In Marin County

SAN RAFAEL, CA — A crowd of approximately 100 people filled the Marin County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday morning, calling on the board to pass a resolution that would ask the Marin County Sheriff’s Office to cease all cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Marin County has removed from its new budget a federal funding source, the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program grant, which requires sharing the immigration status of certain people held in county jail. County Executive Derek Johnson announced the decision at Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting.

"I want to note this morning that the budget that I'm preparing and will be presenting to the Board of Supervisors does not include SCAAP funding," Johnson said. "I just want to clarify that Marin County remains committed to investing in programs, services and partnerships that promote safety, dignity and access to support. We stand ready to be with our immigrant residents during times of uncertainty or challenges."

The push marks the fourth time in five months that dozens of local residents have voiced their concerns both in person and online, specifically targeting the connection between the county's sheriff and ICE. Residents criticized the practice of publicizing the personal information of those in custody, which they say allows ICE to target individuals upon their release from county jail.

"There is no moral justification for any amount of collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE," said Raquel Berlanga Rojas, a Greenbrae resident and organizer with Fuerzas Unidas. Rojas added, "We are not criminals. We are human beings worthy of respect, dignity, and protection."

Another point of contention was the sheriff’s participation in the federal State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. Through this program, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office has received over $1.2 million from the federal government over the past three years..

"By participating in SCAAP, our county sheriff is directly helping ICE to build a list of local undocumented immigrants that it can target for deportation," said Curt Ries, a San Anselmo resident and organizer with Marin Democratic Socialists of America. "We are simply asking for the Board of Supervisors to take a public stand against this cruelty by calling on the county sheriff to end his cooperation with ICE."

Organizers presented county staff with a copy of the proposed resolution, along with more than 4,400 petition signatures from Marin County residents supporting the call to end the cooperation between the sheriff and ICE.

SCAAP is a federal initiative managed by the DOJ in partnership with ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

SCAAP provides funding to state and local governments. These funds are intended to reimburse them for officer salary costs associated with the incarceration of immigrants who lack permanent legal status. To be eligible for reimbursement, the detainees must have at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions and be held for a minimum of four consecutive days.

To qualify for SCAAP funds, local law enforcement agencies must submit specific detainee information to the DOJ's Bureau of Justice Assistance, including the individual's name, date of birth, country of birth, and the dates of their incarceration and release.

In 2024, Marin County received $338,136 in funding through the SCAAP program.

Additional reporting by Ruth Dusseault, Bay City News