Dozens Urge Supervisors to Reaffirm ICE Ordinance as Canepa Holds Back
Board of Supervisors • San Mateo CountyNovember 3, 2026
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About 30 public speakers spent more than an hour asking the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors to withdraw a Sheriff's Office data request on immigrants in county custody and reaffirm the 2023 ordinance limiting cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The board took no action at its Nov. 3, 2026, meeting. Supervisor David Canepa said he would resist any rollback but would not reopen the ordinance to reaffirm it.
- About 30 speakers press the board to reaffirm the ICE non-cooperation ordinance; no action taken
- Sheriff defends drones and Flock license plate cameras as Supervisor Jackie Speier presses on 107-day rape kit turnaround
- Coastside Health Center insurance roadmap moved to consent 4-1, with Board President Noelia Corzo objecting to skipping debate
- Gun violence program runs past its $4.8M state grant; the county now pays two detectives
- Adult probation success falls to 51%, and the 911 center reports a 31% vacancy rate
Advocates Press Board on ICE Ordinance
Why it matters: Advocates see a request for jail data as a possible first step toward weakening the county's 2023 ordinance limiting cooperation with ICE. The ordinance was strengthened in November 2025.
Where things stand: At the board's prior meeting, a request was made for Sheriff's Office data on immigrants with certain criminal records in county custody. Speakers from El Concilio of San Mateo County, Rooted Together, the San Mateo County Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Fix It San Mateo County, Silicon Valley De-Bug, In Our Care San Mateo County, the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort and the North Fair Oaks Community Alliance said the request was ill-defined and singled out one community. They also objected that it counts original charges, not only convictions, and said it erodes trust.
Sophia Gonzalez, a staff member at El Concilio, cited a survey in which 61% of respondents said they felt unsafe in public. Charisse Domingo of Silicon Valley De-Bug called the request an invitation to ICE. She described ICE activity at Elmwood and Santa Clara County jails and asked the board to retract it.
Several speakers offered fallback demands if the data is gathered. They asked the board to state its purpose, report it only in aggregate and never share it with immigration authorities. Gushan Sameh, an immigration attorney, argued the ordinance already lets ICE obtain a judicial warrant, which the county honors.
The other side: Two commenters opposed the ordinance. One argued constitutional rights belong to citizens and urged supervisors to follow their oaths. Another, T. Vince, said the county was allowing an invasion. Corzo warned him about hate speech before his comment ended.
Canepa missed the earlier meeting. He said the ordinance rests on public safety through trust. "We can't go back on this ordinance," said Supervisor David Canepa, District 5. He said he would not reaffirm it because reopening the ordinance could invite amendments. "I'm not there in terms of reaffirming the ordinance," Canepa said.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The board took no action. Corzo said supervisors should not respond during public comment. Immigrant families, nonprofits and faith groups leave without the public reaffirmation they sought. The issue is already affecting other departments: Chief Probation Officer John Keene said later that ICE fears have limited mobile probation outreach in some communities.
What's next: The data request and the ordinance's future remain unresolved, and no board vote was taken.
Sheriff Defends Drones and Flock; Rape Kit Delays Persist
Why it matters: Drone use and license plate reader contracts raise privacy and accountability questions. Sexual assault kit turnaround directly affects survivors.
The basics: ALPRs, or automated license plate readers, are cameras that capture plate data. Flock is the county's ALPR vendor.
Where things stand: Sheriff Kenneth Binder listed his priorities as culture, technology, corrections and recruitment. He reported 35 hires since November 2025, a new jail ombudsperson, a real-time information center and a drone-as-first-responder pilot. He said drones are an investigative tool for calls for service. "The drones would not be active patrol enforcement," Binder said.
"It appears that many of the jurisdictions are now canceling their contracts with Flock," said Supervisor Jackie Speier, District 1. Binder said the office will explore all options when the contract comes up for renewal and will "make sure that we don't just rubber stamp a contract." He said the office uses AI-assisted audits, has disciplined no one for misuse, has ended data sharing with Stanford and now shares only with nine Bay Area counties.
The other side: Speier said the county's 107-day kit turnaround lags faster jurisdictions. "What would it take for us to process these rape kits in half the time we're now doing?" she asked. The Sheriff's Office lab director pointed to hiring toward 10 DNA analysts and roughly 840 historically untested kits.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The board took no action, and no one spoke during public comment. Board Vice President Ray Mueller backed the current approach: "I actually am very supportive of us continuing to use Flock and continuing to use LPRs." Privacy advocates and survivors are the main stakeholders in the renewal and lab hiring decisions ahead.
What's next: The Flock contract renewal is the next decision point.
Coastside Clinic Insurance Plan Moves to Consent 4-1
Why it matters: Coastside residents with commercial insurance lack local care options. The coast is served by single-lane Highway 1 and Highway 92.
Where things stand: Before public comment, Mueller moved his resolution (Legistar Matter 95293) to the consent agenda. The resolution directs County Health to prepare a roadmap for the Coastside Health Center to accept commercial insurance and offer local lab specimen collection. "The county health department has come back and agreed to do so within 6 months and provide a feasibility study," said Mueller. County Health will report on the lab program within 90 days.
Connie Santilli of the Midcoast Community Council cited 1,638 urgent-care pilot appointments, 82% of them for coastside residents and mostly commercially insured. Harvey Rarback, a former Half Moon Bay mayor, said the coast has sought urgent care for 10 years. Sid Young supported the effort but opposed a healthcare district parcel tax. Young also urged the board to arrange emergency shelters for unincorporated coast residents before king tides.
The other side: Corzo said the item deserved public discussion. "I voted no on that because I think it's complicated," said Board President Noelia Corzo.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The motion to move the item to consent passed. For: 4 (Speier, Mueller, Gauthier, Canepa), Against: 1 (Corzo), Absent: 0. The full consent agenda later passed 5-0. The work now shifts to County Health staff rather than the board floor.
What's next: County Health reports back on the lab program within 90 days and on insurance feasibility within six months.
DA, Probation, 911 Reports Flag Funding and Staffing Strain
Why it matters: Grant cliffs, shorter probation terms and dispatcher turnover all put pressure on county budgets and services.
Where things stand: District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaffe said his office reviewed 17,422 cases last fiscal year, down from 25,000 in 2017, with 68 prosecutors. "We have 3 AI tools that we are using in the office," he said. Chief Deputy Shin-Mee Chang said the office has used race-blind charging since January 2025. In response to Corzo, officials said post-conviction relief petitions must come from defendants or survivors.
Speier asked who will fund the Gun Violence Protection Program, noting "the courts got a $4.8 million grant from the state that allowed us to do this project." The board was told the grant ran out about six months ago and the county has been paying two detectives since. A Family Justice Center is expected next year.
Keene reported adult probation success at 51%, compared with 67% historically, and attributed the drop to shorter terms. Juvenile success stood at 93%. He floated a separate procurement pathway for juvenile services, and Corzo said she supports exploring it. Canepa urged outreach in Daly City and South San Francisco.
Deputy Director Ametria Sidney of Public Safety Communications said 98.1% of 911 calls are answered within 15 seconds. The board heard the department has a 31% vacancy rate, about 24% when extra help is counted. On hiring bonuses, Sidney said "the department is no longer considered hard to fill. Recruitment isn't our issue." She said the problem is retaining staff through training. Coroner Robert Foucrault reported 100% compliance with 285 accreditation standards and a new consolidated facility opened in October 2025.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No action was taken on any report. The gun violence program's funding gap is likely to surface in budget talks.
Minor Items
- Cypress Point: A sewer lateral covenant with MP Moss Beach Associates, L.P. for affordable housing was approved 5-0.
- Dolores Huerta: The board honored Huerta 5-0 and directed staff to return with a county Dolores Huerta Day.
- Native American Heritage Month: The board's proclamation passed 5-0, and a speaker called for an Indigenous-focused youth health center.
- Veterans, foundations: Proclamations passed 5-0. Corzo flagged unused veterans housing vouchers, and foundations reported raising $2.4M in emergency funds.
- Closed session: The board approved initiating litigation, with details to be disclosed once the case is filed. The vote tally was unclear; Speier voted no.
Looking ahead: County Health's 90-day lab report, the Flock renewal and the Dolores Huerta Day action are the next items to watch.