San Jose is a Welcoming City under City Council resolutions affirming sanctuary policy, and California SB-54 (Values Act) bars city resources from federal civil immigration enforcement absent a judicial warrant.
The San Jose City Council reaffirmed sanctuary protections through Welcoming City resolutions, directing the police department and other agencies not to use city personnel, funds, or facilities for federal civil immigration enforcement. Officers may not ask about immigration status during routine contact, hold individuals on ICE detainers without a judicial warrant, or share non-public information for civil immigration purposes. California SB-54, the Values Act of 2017, imposes parallel statewide limits binding all state and local agencies. San Jose Police Department Duty Manual Section L 7110 implements these rules operationally. Federal supremacy still applies for criminal warrants and judicial process.
City employees who breach sanctuary policy face administrative discipline up to termination through SJPD Internal Affairs and city personnel processes. There is no civil penalty for residents; the rule binds the city, not private parties or businesses.
See how San Jose's sanctuary policy preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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