photo credit: Shutterstock
Federal immigration officers in Broadview, Illinois, September 2025.

Santa Rosa city leaders will take up a major public‑safety question this week: how federal immigration enforcement could play out locally.

The discussion follows a series of high‑profile federal operations across the country, including one in Minneapolis last month in which two U.S. citizens were killed by federal immigration agents. The incident sparked protests and renewed debate over oversight and accountability.

The Santa Rosa City Council will review its options during a study session Tuesday. Those include urging Congress to adopt stronger training and conduct standards for federal immigration agents, and exploring a local rule, modeled after one in San Jose, that would bar federal immigration officers from using city‑owned property as staging or processing sites.

Local officials told KRCB News they believe it’s not a matter of if federal immigration officers come to Sonoma County, but when.

Santa Rosa already has policies limiting how the city participates in federal civil immigration enforcement. But new federal actions, including expanded authority over sanctuary jurisdictions and increased funding and staffing for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have prompted cities nationwide to reassess their role.

City leaders say their goal remains the same: ensuring residents can report crimes, access services and interact with local government without fear that those interactions could lead to immigration consequences.

This week’s council discussion is open to the public, both online and in person at City Hall.

The session is at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, before the regular meeting begins at 4 p.m.