San Jose bans ICE staging on city property (+ $8M settlement)

San Jose
City Council Meeting
January 13, 2026

TL;DR

• Council unanimously adopted Policy 7-15, prohibiting city parking lots, vacant lots, garages, and open spaces from being used as staging, processing, or operations bases for civil immigration enforcement.
• Council approved an $8 million settlement in Green v. City of San José, drawn from the Budget Stabilization Reserve.
• The 2026 Legislative Program was adopted, with city support added for H.R. 630, the Neighbors Not Enemies Act.
• $3.5 million in CDBG funds were reprogrammed: $3 million for the La Placita facility at the Mexican Heritage Plaza and $500,000 for pedestrian and traffic safety projects.
• Two new Business Improvement Districts moved forward, on The Alameda (District 6) and on Alum Rock Santa Clara Street (Districts 3 and 5).

What happened

1. City property is now off-limits to ICE staging and operations
   1. Council unanimously adopted Policy 7-15, which prohibits city-owned or city-controlled parking lots, vacant lots, garages, and open spaces from being used as staging areas, processing locations, or operation bases for civil immigration enforcement. Deputy City Manager Angel Rios confirmed during the meeting that the same principles extend to other city facilities, including community centers, parks, and City Hall. The policy was developed in response to an October 2025 council direction from Councilmembers Ortiz, Candelas, and Kamei.
   2. What this means for you: City staff now has clear authority to refuse use of city property for federal civil immigration enforcement operations. Implementation includes standardized signage and access controls where appropriate, plus reinforced staff reporting procedures.
2. $8 million settlement in Green v. City of San José
   1. Council approved an $8 million settlement in Green v. City of San José and authorized the City Attorney to sign the agreement. The funds come out of the Budget Stabilization Reserve through Ordinance No. 31296.
   2. What this means for you: This is a one-time draw on the city's rainy-day reserve. The settlement closes out the litigation.
3. 2026 Legislative Program adopted with new support for repealing the Alien Enemies Act
   1. Council adopted the city's 2026 Legislative Program and added a support position for H.R. 630, the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, which would repeal the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Vice Mayor Foley moved the addition after three Japantown-area residents spoke in favor (stated in meeting). The program also signals city interest in sponsoring or supporting bills on abandoned RV thresholds (raising the value cap from $500 to $4,000), condo construction incentives, a CEQA exemption for the Diridon Station infrastructure project, a statewide AI framework, and preserving local control on land use and public meetings.
   2. What this means for you: This is the city's full-year advocacy roadmap in Sacramento and Washington. The H.R. 630 position adds the city to a list of jurisdictions backing the bill, though the bill's prospects in the current Congress are uncertain.
4. $3 million for La Placita, $500,000 for pedestrian safety
   1. Council reprogrammed Community Development Block Grant funds for two East and South San Jose investments: up to $3 million for the La Placita facility improvement project at the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza, and up to $500,000 for pedestrian and traffic safety improvements through the Department of Transportation. Both agreements are retroactive to January 1, 2026 and run through June 30, 2026.
   2. What this means for you: La Placita is planned as a cultural, small business, and food-access hub in East San Jose. The pedestrian safety funding supports projects near schools and parks, including the Great Oaks Skate Park area mentioned by Councilmember Campos.
5. Two new Business Improvement Districts move forward
   1. Council accepted the reports establishing The Alameda Business Improvement District (Council District 6) and the Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Improvement District (Council Districts 3 and 5). Roughly 542 home-based businesses fall within The Alameda BID boundary; reduced fees, including a $100 annual rate, are available for home-based businesses without employees, artists, and nonprofits (stated in meeting).
   2. What this means for you: If you operate a business, including from your home, within either district, expect a new line item alongside your business license fee. The BIDs come back to Council for annual reapproval, so ongoing value to fee-paying members will be tested each year.

What residents brought up

• On Policy 7-15 (Item 3.7): Fifteen-plus public commenters spoke, all in support. Organizers from PASOS at Sacred Heart Community Service, Amigos de Guadalupe, and SIREN urged the council to pass the policy. Speakers from Working Partnerships USA, Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits, Kids in Common, and the Immigrant Protection Empowerment Network also called for further protections. Several speakers pointed to the recent fatal shooting of a Minneapolis mother by an ICE agent and raised safety concerns ahead of major sporting events expected this year. A District 1 resident affiliated with Sacred Heart asked the council to ensure tax-funded property is not used for family separation operations.
• On H.R. 630 (Items 3.5 and 3.6): Three Japantown-area residents, including representatives of San Jose Nikkei Resisters, the Japantown Neighborhood Association, and the Japantown Community Congress, asked the council to add a support position for H.R. 630. Speakers connected the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to the World War II incarceration of Japanese American families and to current federal actions targeting immigrants.
• On the consent calendar: A San Jose resident asked the council to add training in constitutional protections regarding the personal property of homeless individuals, and submitted an encroachment permit request on behalf of a family member who lives in a trailer.

e. Also happened

• Hawkins, Delafield & Wood legal services contract approved for up to $4 million through June 30, 2030, with two two-year extension options through 2034, supporting the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility Capital Improvement Program.
• Jacobs Project Management design-build contract approved for up to $9,542,366 in preliminary services on the Additional Digester Facility Upgrade Project, plus a $954,237 design contingency and authority for Early Work Packages up to $10 million. The Council shifted $661,000 from the Switchgear S2/S2A Replacement appropriation to fund it.
• Emergency repairs authorized for Pond A18's southern gate at the wastewater facility, up to $2,150,000 plus a 20% contingency of up to $430,000, with formal bidding waived under City Charter Section 1217.
• Team San José FY 2024-2025 performance audit accepted. Team San José booked 133,500 hotel room nights, posted an estimated economic impact of nearly $95 million, ran 540 days of events with 97% occupancy at cultural facilities, and earned a 97% customer satisfaction rating. The weighted incentive score of 195% qualifies Team San José for the $300,000 performance-based fee, even with an $11 million operating loss for the year.
• Zoning code overhaul cleared a first vote. Ordinance No. 31298 was passed for publication, amending Title 19 (Subdivisions) and Title 20 (Zoning Code) to comply with state housing laws including SB 9, SB 684, SB 1123, SB 1418, and AB 2632, and to streamline ADU and density bonus provisions. A second reading is required before it becomes law.
• June 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 municipal elections called for Districts 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, with consolidation requested with Santa Clara County.

For any updates or corrections, please email steven@polisdesk.com