10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JULY 2-8, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com The U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship in the United States in a ruling issued on June 30, allowing millions of Americans to breathe a sigh of relief about their status. But a national crackdown continues, with local implications; city and county officials have passed resolutions urging the federal government to stop proceeding with an immigration detention facility in Gilroy. But some residents and elected officials are looking for a clearer line between local government and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. On Tuesday, July 7, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors is set to discuss whether to implement local rules that go beyond state law in limiting interaction with ICE. They will deliberate on whether to prevent the use of county resources, buildings and staff for immigration enforcement; terminate the sheriff’s participation in federal reimbursement program called State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), which provides payments to carceral facilities housing undocumented immigrants; expand on the information provided under California’s Truth Act; amend the county’s outside-employment and conflict-of-interest policies with an eye toward employees moonlighting for ICE; consider implementing potential independent oversight of the Sheriff’s Office; and urge the sheriff to stop all cooperation with ICE. “I’m hearing on a regular basis that there’s a desire from the public for the county to take a stronger and more formal position on some of these items,” Supervisor Wendy Root Askew says. Sheriff Tina Nieto has spoken about various elements of these issues to the board, but declined to be interviewed about the upcoming hearing. “The Sheriff’s Office will not make any additional comments ahead of the scheduled meeting as we do not know what specific questions or direction may come from that meeting,” Cmdr. Andres Rosas says via email. (Root Askew maintains that no action the board takes would be meant to limit the sheriff’s authority. “We do not want to in any way do anything that would compromise her ability to perform her functions,” she says.) Through SCAAP, the County was reimbursed over $600,000 last year to cover costs associated with housing undocumented inmates in the jail. While Nieto has not yet presented on the details of SCAAP publicly, she did send an email to the Board of Supervisors saying she thinks there was a misunderstanding on the data-sharing scope. “Participation in SCAAP does not require the Sheriff’s Office to notify ICE when someone is booked into jail, when they are released, or where they live or work,” she wrote. “The information provided is limited to basic booking and conviction data that already exists within national criminal justice databases accessible to law enforcement agencies nationwide.” The Truth Act report is a mandatory annual update in which local law enforcement agencies share data on inmates released to ICE. Back in January, Nieto, Undersheriff Keith Boyd and Corrections Bureau Chief Timothy Lanquist presented 2025 data, showing that of more than 9,200 people booked in the jail, 21 individuals were released to ICE custody. The agency denied most of ICE’s 295 requests to access incarcerated individuals. In April, Nieto returned to provide additional information on the 21 who were released to ICE. “These are not minor offenses,” Nieto said. “These individuals pose a potential danger to the community if released.” Eight of the 21 people had not been convicted, prompting some of the supervisors to raise concerns. “I believe this sort of collaboration is the definition of extrajudicial,” Supervisor Kate Daniels said during the discussion in April. “The safest thing to do is to let the judicial system play out and ensure violent criminals are convicted and sentenced.” Law enforcement in California isn’t required to share information with ICE, but they may cooperate with ICE agents at their discretion, such as transferring individuals with serious crimes or sharing information that is already publicly available. Root Askew is suggesting the County consider ending cooperation with ICE entirely—something that supervisors Chris Lopez and Luis Alejo have raised doubts about. “[State law] is very pro-immigrant, but we have to balance,” Alejo said in April. “Big picture, are we making our communities, especially Latino communities, safer? I don’t think we are,” Lopez said, noting undocumented immigrants are also crime victims. Adriana Melgoza, executive director of the Watsonville Law Center, says residents want clearer answers from law enforcement in an area that allows for discretion. If collaboration with ICE is happening, she says, “That needs to be said to the community, so that the community is aware of exactly how it’s happening and when it’s happening and what the county and the sheriff are doing and standing for.” She says a lack of transparency creates distrust among immigrants. “We’ve seen ICE in the community,” Melgoza adds, “and they target community members outside of the jail, so that’s giving them access.” Melgoza says it’s concerning individuals were handed over without being convicted. “When we violate the rights of one individual, we are all at risk of our rights being violated, regardless if we’re citizen or non-citizen.” Fine Lines County Board of Supervisors to revisit policies on county’s relationship with ICE. By Celia Jiménez NEWS INFO ON INFRASTRUCTURE Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue and city staff host a meeting on public safety and infrastructure. Learn about recent and upcoming projects. 6-7:30pm Thursday, July 2. Bread Box Recreation Center, 745 N. Sanborn Road, Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7166, karina.silva@salinas.gov. ICE AND JAIL Monterey County Board of Supervisors discuss possible policy changes related to interactions between the County of Monterey and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Public comment is accepted. (See story, left.) 1:30pm Tuesday, July 7. Board of Supervisors chambers, 168 W. Alisal St., Salinas. Free. (831) 755-5025, countyofmonterey.gov. DOWNTOWN DETAILS Marina City Council meets to discuss amendments to the Downtown Vitalization Specific Plan. Public comment is accepted. 6:30pm Tuesday, July 7. City Council Chambers, 211 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. Free. (831) 884-1278, cityofmarina. org. PLANNING UNITS Monterey County Planning Commission considers approving construction of 22 affordable housing units for the September Ranch subdivision in Carmel Valley (see p. 15). Public comment is accepted. 9am Wednesday, July 8. Board of Supervisors chambers, 168 W. Alisal St., Salinas. Free. (831) 755-5025, countyofmonterey.gov. ELECTION SEASON Monterey County Elections Department hosts a seminar for candidates interested in running for office. The seminar includes an overview of filing dates and other requirements. 5:30-7:30pm Wednesday, July 8. Government Center, Cayenne Room, 1441 Schilling Place, North Building, Salinas. (831) 796-1499, tinyurl.com/ CandidateSeminar2026. WATER WAYS Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency Board of Directors meets to set groundwater sustainability fees for the upcoming fiscal year. 2pm Thursday, July 9. Government Center, Saffron Room, 1441 Schilling Place, Salinas. Free. (831) 471-7519, bit.ly/SVBGSAfee2027. GREEN SPACES Help shape urban greening and open space preservation in the City of Monterey. A survey helps inform the city’s general plan update. Survey is open through July 24. Free. monterey.gov/COSsurvey. County Supervisor Wendy Root Askew brought forward a slate of policy proposals to eliminate cooperation entirely between county government and ICE. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN “This sort of collaboration is the definition of extrajudicial.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
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