What was pitched as a low-key yesterday evening meet-and-greet with Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram in Bodega Bay quickly turned into a pointed debate over immigration enforcement. Instead of a casual chance for West County residents to chat with their sheriff, the gathering at the Bodega Bay Grange became an immigration-focused showdown as picketers pressed Engram about his office’s cooperation with ICE. Protesters used the event to demand that the sheriff stop opposing a proposed non-collaboration ordinance and halt information-sharing that they say leads directly to deportations. The exchange stayed mostly civil, but it laid bare the deep mistrust that still divides immigrant advocates and law enforcement across the county.
Protesters Press Sheriff Over ICE Cooperation
Demonstrators, including members of the Sonoma County Sanctuary Coalition, told Engram they want a county ordinance that flatly bars local cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They cited what they said were local records showing that roughly 70 people were turned over to ICE last year, according to KTVU. Organizer Renee Saucedo told the outlet that state law already gives local agencies room to refuse cooperation, and picketers urged the sheriff to drop his public opposition to the draft non-collaboration policy.
Sheriff Points To State Law And Public-Safety Concerns
Engram and his office counter that their hands are largely tied by state rules and that their approach is built around public safety. In a March 11, 2025 letter to the community, the sheriff’s office stated that it does not honor immigration holds and only acts on warrants issued by a judge and that notifications to ICE are limited to people convicted of serious or violent felonies, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. At the Bodega Bay meeting, Engram took questions and, according to attendees, said his decisions are guided by what he believes will keep the broader community safe.
What State Law Allows…