Attorneys say SFPD may have violated the law during ICE arrest at SFO

Key Points:

• A bystander filed a complaint with the California Department of Justice and San Francisco City Attorney after ICE agents arrested two Guatemalan immigrants at San Francisco International Airport, with footage showing San Francisco police officers forming a protective circle around ICE agents.
• San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) claims its officers were present only to maintain public safety after a 911 call and did not assist ICE in immigration enforcement, but attorneys argue the police presence likely violated the city’s sanctuary ordinance and departmental policies barring cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
• Legal experts state that the SFPD’s actions, including surrounding ICE agents and escorting detainees, constitute prohibited assistance to ICE under local laws and police directives, as no emergency or public safety threat justified police involvement.
• The incident has drawn criticism from immigration attorneys and public defenders, who find the police behavior alarming and contrary to policies designed to prevent local law enforcement from facilitating federal immigration arrests.
• San Francisco’s sanctuary city ordinance prohibits city employees and law enforcement from using city resources to assist federal immigration enforcement, and the police department’s own policies explicitly forbid cooperation with ICE in investigations, detentions, or transport absent emergency circumstances.