Hundreds protest ICE and Flock surveillance cameras across East Bay
Valentine's Day marches target mass surveillance infrastructure feeding ICE databases
The Trump administration closed San Francisco Immigration Court at 100 Montgomery St. on Jan. 13, 2026, after firing 13 of 21 judges
The closure redirects over 120,000 pending immigration cases to Concord, 30 miles away
Court staff must relocate to Concord by summer 2026 The Concord court already has a 6,000-case backlog and lost five of its 13 judges to firings in 2025.
Key Concepts
Essential concepts and terms to understand this topic
Federalism and State Power
The constitutional system that divides power between national and state governments, determining who controls immigration, healthcare, voting, and other major policies.
Police Powers
A state's broad authority to regulate health, safety, welfare, and morals
Immigration Sanctuary Cities
Jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Sanctuary City
Cities that limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration agents to protect residents from ICE enforcement.
Social Media Surveillance
Government monitoring of individuals' social media accounts and posts for enforcement purposes.
Key People
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Laura Nakamura
Mayor of Concord, California
Led the 'Love Your Neighbor' Valentine's Day march on Feb. 14, 2026, through Concord's Monument neighborhood. Told protesters that 'everyone in our community deserves to feel safe.' Raised concerns about increased ICE presence as San Francisco Immigration Court redirects 120,000 cases to Concord.
Rob Bonta
California Attorney General
Filed lawsuit against El Cajon in October 2025 for illegally sharing Flock Safety automated license plate reader data with out-of-state and federal immigration authorities. The lawsuit alleges violations of California's sanctuary state laws and privacy protections. His office is investigating similar data-sharing violations in other California cities.
Brian Hofer
Founder of Secure Justice, former Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission member
Filed lawsuit against Oakland Police Department in November 2025 alleging the department repeatedly broke the law by sharing surveillance data with federal authorities. The lawsuit claims OPD abandoned its policy requiring manual approval of each external data request. Hofer led opposition to Oakland's Flock camera expansion.
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Cody Dadiw
Oakland protest organizer
Organized the Oakland Valentine's Day march protesting ICE and Flock cameras near Lake Merritt. Said California's liberal reputation 'creates a sense of detachment from what's happening across the country.' Planning additional protest events for March 2026.
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Betty Duong
Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 2
Moved to delay renewal of the Alameda County Sheriff's Flock Safety camera use policy on Feb. 11, 2026, until the county conducts a full investigation into whether Flock is sharing data with ICE. Requested the sheriff look for alternative vendors to replace Flock. Said 'I'm against sharing information with ICE in any way that's weaponized against our immigrant communities.'
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Teresa Riley
Chief Immigration Judge, Executive Office for Immigration Review
Sent the Jan. 13, 2026 email to San Francisco Immigration Court staff announcing the closure of the court at 100 Montgomery St. by the end of the year. The email stated all personnel will be transferred to Concord Immigration Court, 30 miles away. The closure redirects over 120,000 pending cases.
What you can do
Submit public comment opposing Flock Safety contracts in your city
civic action
City councils and county boards of supervisors typically hold public comment periods before voting on surveillance technology contracts. Public records requests can reveal whether your local police department is sharing Flock data with federal immigration authorities. Oakland's Privacy Advisory Commission was able to block camera expansion through public pressure.
File California Public Records Act requests for Flock data-sharing logs
civic action
California's Public Records Act allows residents to request police department records showing who accessed Flock camera data and why. The University of Washington Center for Human Rights successfully obtained records showing federal immigration enforcement access to Flock systems. These requests expose the extent of ICE surveillance in your community.
Support legal aid organizations defending immigrants in Concord Immigration Court
civic action
The closure of San Francisco Immigration Court forces over 120,000 immigration cases to Concord, 30 miles away. San Francisco funds the Immigrant Legal Defense Collaborative, which provides free legal representation. The city may not extend funding to Concord court cases. Organizations like La Raza Centro Legal need volunteers and donations to serve clients in the new location.