Immigration Policy in California (2026)
31 rules on the books across California, 22 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Sanctuary Policy Preemption
Whether your state prohibits cities from limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and what penalties apply to non-compliant local policies.
Berkeley
Significant RestrictionsBerkeley Municipal Code Chapter 13.114 bars every city agency and employee from using city resources to help federal…
Read full rule →Chula Vista
Significant RestrictionsChula Vista's Safe Neighbor Ordinance (CVMC Ch. 2.19, Ord. 3618) bars federal and out-of-state law enforcement from…
Read full rule →Davis
Significant RestrictionsDavis bars city staff, contractors and facilities from being used to enforce federal civil immigration law. City…
Read full rule →Oakland
Significant RestrictionsOakland bars the city from signing, renewing, or amending contracts with any vendor that supplies ICE, CBP, or HHS's…
Read full rule →Pacifica
Significant RestrictionsIn the City of Pacifica, Pacifica Municipal Code Chapter 17 bars the Police Department and other local agencies from…
Read full rule →Sacramento
Significant RestrictionsSacramento adopted Resolution 2017-100 declaring sanctuary status. City officers may not use Sacramento resources to…
Read full rule →San Francisco
Significant RestrictionsSan Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 12H declares the city a City and County of Refuge and bars city staff from…
Read full rule →San Mateo County
Significant RestrictionsCounty departments and staff are barred from using county resources to assist federal immigration enforcement absent a…
Read full rule →Santa Cruz County
Significant RestrictionsSanta Cruz County adopted its own sanctuary ordinance in 2026. Santa Cruz County Code § 10.07.030 bars any County-owned…
Read full rule →Bakersfield
Some RestrictionsBakersfield police follow California SB 54 the TRUST Act, which limits local cooperation with federal immigration…
Read full rule →Long Beach
Some RestrictionsLong Beach adopted sanctuary-city resolutions limiting cooperation between local police and federal immigration…
Read full rule →Los Angeles
Some RestrictionsLos Angeles is a sanctuary city under Ordinance 184145 (LAAC §22.890), barring city resources from federal civil…
Read full rule →Riverside County
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Senate Bill 54, the California Values Act, restricts state and local law enforcement from using resources to…
Read full rule →San Bernardino County
Some RestrictionsCalifornia SB 54, the California Values Act, limits how San Bernardino County Sheriff and other local agencies may…
Read full rule →Thousand Oaks
Some RestrictionsThousand Oaks follows California's statewide sanctuary policy under SB 54, the California Values Act, which limits…
Read full rule →San Diego
Light RestrictionsCalifornia SB-54 (the Values Act) limits state and local cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement. San…
Read full rule →Anaheim
Few RestrictionsCalifornia SB 54 (TRUST Act) limits state and local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement…
Read full rule →E-Verify Mandates
State rules requiring private employers or public contractors to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm employment eligibility.
Riverside County
Heavy RestrictionsLabor Code section 2814 prohibits California state and local governments from requiring private employers to use the…
Read full rule →Santa Clara County
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia AB-1236 (Labor Code §2814) prohibits Santa Clara County and any city from requiring private employers to use…
Read full rule →Stockton
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia Labor Code section 2814 prohibits state and local governments from requiring private employers to use the…
Read full rule →Anaheim
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Labor Code 2814 prohibits cities from mandating E-Verify use by private employers. Anaheim cannot require…
Read full rule →Los Angeles
Some RestrictionsFederal law does not mandate E-Verify for most private employers, and California AB-1236 (2011) bars cities including…
Read full rule →Oakland
Some RestrictionsOakland does not require private employers to use the federal E-Verify system. California Labor Code section 2814…
Read full rule →Orange County
Some RestrictionsOrange County does not require employers or contractors to use the federal E-Verify system, and California Assembly…
Read full rule →Sacramento
Some RestrictionsSacramento and California do not require employers to use the federal E-Verify system. California Labor Code Section…
Read full rule →San Jose
Some RestrictionsFederal law does not mandate E-Verify for most private employers, and California AB-1236 (Labor Code §2814) bars cities…
Read full rule →Thousand Oaks
Some RestrictionsThousand Oaks does not require employers or contractors to use E-Verify. California Labor Code §2814 actually limits…
Read full rule →Los Angeles County
Light RestrictionsCalifornia AB-1236 (Labor Code §2814) prohibits LA County and any city or county from requiring private employers to…
Read full rule →Berkeley
Few RestrictionsBerkeley does not require private employers to use the federal E-Verify system, and California Labor Code section 2814…
Read full rule →Long Beach
Few RestrictionsLong Beach does not mandate E-Verify for private employers. California restricts mandatory E-Verify outside federal…
Read full rule →San Diego
Few RestrictionsCalifornia Labor Code §2814 (added by AB-1236, 2011) bars cities including San Diego from requiring private employers…
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