Alameda County Supervisor Elisa Márquez is speaking out against a wave of recent ICE enforcement actions in the Bay Area, calling them “cruel tactics” that have left immigrant communities feeling fearful and under siege.
Márquez represents Hayward, Newark, Union City, as well as Fremont’s Ardenwood, Bayside, Canyon Heights/Vallejo Mills/Niles Crest, East Industrial, Lakes and Birds, Northgate and Warm Springs neighborhoods. In a public statement released this week, Márquez—the only Latina on the Board of Supervisors and the daughter of immigrants—condemned what she described as the federal government’s ongoing attacks on immigrant families.
“I will not stay silent as our families are targeted and traumatized,” she said, recalling her personal connection to the issue.
Márquez announced that the county has allocated $3.5 million to bolster services aimed at protecting residents from immigration enforcement. The funds include $1.3 million to the Public Defender’s Immigration Unit for legal defense services, $1 million to the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, and $700,000 to support rapid response hotlines and legal education through the Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership (ACILEP). An additional $500,000 has been designated for Trabajadores Unidos Workers United to aid in neighborhood-based preparedness and support.
We are resisting ICe’s intimidation and actively building a county where every resident can feel safe, respected and protected
Supervisor Elisa Márquez
The supervisor also shared plans to convene a public meeting on Wednesday, June 18, where members of ACILEP will update the board on current rapid response efforts. The meeting, part of the Board’s Public Protection Committee, aims to explore new strategies to shield immigrant residents from detention and deportation.
“We are resisting ICE’s intimidation and actively building a county where every resident can feel safe, respected and protected,” Márquez said. “This investment is a clear message: Alameda County will not cooperate with ICE’s campaign of fear.”
Residents are encouraged to follow Supervisor Márquez’s Instagram (@supervisor_elisamarquez) or visit bos.acgov.org/broadcast for updates and participation details for the upcoming meeting.
