City of Richmond Sanctuary City Protections

Strengthening Sanctuary City Protections in Richmond
Updated: March 26, 2025

On March 25, 2025, the Richmond City Council passed an ordinance strengthening the City’s longstanding Sanctuary City protections. The new measure—An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Richmond Limiting the Use of City Resources for Federal Immigration Enforcement—builds upon previous policies and reaffirms the City’s commitment to protecting immigrant communities and upholding the values of equity, safety, and inclusion.

This ordinance expands upon Richmond’s existing Sanctuary City policies, Ordinance No. 29-90 and Ordinance No. 12-18, and aligns with the California Values Act (SB 54), which limits state and local collaboration with federal immigration authorities.

Key Provisions

Under the adopted ordinance, the City of Richmond:

• Limits the Use of City Resources
  Prohibits City officials and law enforcement from using local funds, personnel, or facilities to assist with federal immigration enforcement—unless required by law.
• Restricts Information Sharing
  Prevents City employees from collecting or disclosing a person’s immigration status unless legally mandated.
• Limits Local Law Enforcement Cooperation
  Restricts compliance with civil immigration detainers, administrative warrants, or release notification requests unless a judicial warrant is provided.
• Protects Access to City Services
  Ensures all Richmond residents—regardless of immigration status—can access City services without fear of discrimination or deportation.
• Prohibits ICE Access to Non-Public City Property
  Denies Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents access to non-public areas of City facilities for enforcement activities, unless required by law.

Richmond’s Jurisdiction

While this ordinance limits the City’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, it’s important to note that Richmond cannot prevent federal agencies, such as ICE, from carrying out immigration enforcement actions. However, the City exercises its local authority to ensure that its resources are not used to support those efforts unless legally required.

Commitment to Public Safety and Community Trust

The City of Richmond believes that public safety is best achieved when all residents—regardless of immigration status—feel safe interacting with local government. Immigrants are essential to the City’s social, cultural, and economic vitality. This ordinance reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to upholding the civil rights and human dignity of every resident.

What’s Next?

The ordinance was initially approved on March 11, 2025, and passed its second reading on March 25, 2025. The new provisions will go into effect 30 days after adoption, on April 24, 2025.