SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria signed an executive order Wednesday requiring more transparency from federal immigration agents operating in the city, following videos showing agents declining to identify themselves during enforcement actions.
"Members of our community want to know the organizations they trust and rely on will stand up for their rights and dignity," Gloria said.
The executive order outlines 16 ways the city could support members of the public during immigration enforcement incidents, including clarifying identification requirements for federal law enforcement officers.
"Members of our community want to know the organizations they trust and rely on will stand up for their rights and dignity," Gloria said.
Videos of immigration enforcement operations in San Diego County have shown agents wearing masks and sometimes refusing to provide information about where detainees were being taken.
The order directs the mayor's staff to provide information on ICE operations in the city, including locations, dates, arrests and the use of masks by agents.
It also directs the San Diego Police Department to stop sharing certain data with federal authorities, specifically information from the Automated License Plate Reader System. SDPD's annual surveillance report from 2024 shows the department shared this data with federal agencies more than 60 times.
The order requires SDPD to notify the mayor anytime officers respond to immigration enforcement in the city. Two weeks ago, I questioned SDPD Lieutenant Travis Easter about the department's role in these operations.
"If ICE agents or anybody calls for emergency assistance, we will respond just like we would for anybody, to maintain public safety," Easter said.
Easter said police provided crowd control in several ICE raids, with officers using caution tape and other tools to separate federal agents from the public.
When asked if the department would reconsider these policies, Easter said, "If there was a need to, I'm pretty sure it would be under evaluation."
The mayor's order does not ask SDPD to stop providing emergency assistance to federal agents but does direct the department to create a "joint safety plan" in response to ICE operations.
In a statement Thursday, Easter said, “The San Diego Police Department recognizes the deep concern many community members have in response to recent immigration enforcement actions taking place in our neighborhoods. We understand these events can create fear and uncertainty. We want to be clear: SDPD officers do not enforce immigration law, and our officers don’t ask about immigration status. We want all of our community members to feel safe when reporting crimes or seeking help from SDPD...
"As the federal government engages in more visible and, at times, confrontational immigration enforcement tactics, SDPD remains committed to transparency about our limited involvement in some such actions. When we respond to a 9-1-1 call, whether it’s from a community member or a federal agency, our role is focused solely on ensuring safety and maintaining public order...
"We have been in close communication with community leaders and elected officials throughout this evolving situation. In the coming weeks, SDPD will work to implement the directives outlined in the Executive Order, with a continued focus on public safety, transparency, and community trust.”
We reached out to ICE San Diego Bureau this afternoon for a statement. They could not get back to us in time.
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