San Francisco Supervisors Unanimously Create ICE-Free Zones on City Property

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the "ICE Free Zones" ordinance on Feb. 25, 2026, a measure authored by Supervisors Bilal Mahmood and Chyanne Chen that bars federal immigration enforcement from using city-owned or public property in ways that could disrupt city operations or services and authorizes the City Attorney’s Office to pursue legal action against unlawful or unauthorized use of those properties.

Under the ordinance, city officials declare that the use of city property to assist enforcement of federal immigration law is not a city purpose and the measure specifically prohibits "commandeering city property that disrupts the city's operations." The text also establishes that the City Attorney would be authorized to take legal action against any entity engaged in such unlawful or unauthorized use of public properties.

Mahmood and Chen framed the ordinance as protecting access to public programs and safety. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood said, "When immigration enforcement shows up at or near public facilities, we know what happens: people disappear from services, kids miss school, witnesses don't report crimes, and the City can't do its job." Supervisor Chyanne Chen added, "This legislation is a necessary piece in upholding our Sanctuary City commitments. We will not stand for ICE to use our public properties to aid their harassment or terrorization of San Franciscans."

The ordinance builds on San Francisco’s sanctuary policy history. San Francisco has had a Sanctuary City ordinance in place since 1989, and a 2013 measure limits law enforcement from giving ICE advance notice of a person's release from jail while prohibiting cooperation with ICE detainer requests, also known as "ICE holds." City leaders cited research indicating that heightened immigration enforcement reduces participation in public activities among immigrant families; multiple studies from the Urban Institute have reached that conclusion in summarized form.

Regionally, San Francisco joins several Bay Area jurisdictions that have passed similar protections. The ordinance follows measures enacted by Richmond, San Jose, Oakland, Santa Clara County and Alameda County, making San Francisco the latest local government in the region to adopt "ICE Free Zones" language restricting federal use of municipal property.

The measure creates municipal legal remedies but does not, by its terms, preempt federal authority off city property. Federal agencies retain the ability to enter the city and detain people away from city-owned sites; the Department of Homeland Security has previously taken the position that cities do not have authority to restrict federal immigration enforcement. The Trump administration previously filed multiple lawsuits challenging sanctuary policies in more than a dozen jurisdictions, and most of those lawsuits remain pending in federal courts.

With the Board vote completed, the City Attorney’s Office is now empowered to sue to enforce the ordinance; the full ordinance text, its effective date, and any department-level implementing guidance have not been posted with this report. The measure establishes a legal framework San Francisco officials say they will use to protect city operations and services from federal enforcement actions that rely on city-owned property.