San Diego’s restaurant industry faces growing pressure from intensified ICE raids, spotlighting the city’s role as a border town and sanctuary city. With California law clashing against federal enforcement, local businesses can wield their rights to protect workers in an era of heightened immigration scrutiny.
San Diego, a vibrant border town and one of California’s sanctuary cities, is experiencing a surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, stirring concern among its diverse communities. As a key player in the U.S.-Mexico border region, San Diego County has seen heightened enforcement efforts under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, with over 7,400 undocumented immigrants arrested nationwide since the administration took office. For the city’s restaurant industry – where immigrants of all statuses comprise a significant portion of the workforce – this escalation poses unique challenges. Here’s what San Diego restaurant owners and workers need to know about their rights under California and federal law as ICE presence intensifies.
San Diego’s proximity to the border, just 20 miles from Tijuana, amplifies its role in immigration dynamics. As a sanctuary city under California’s Senate Bill 54, enacted in 2017, local law enforcement is prohibited from assisting ICE with immigration enforcement, a policy reaffirmed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta amid recent White House threats. This state law aims to protect immigrant communities by limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. However, ICE operates under federal jurisdiction, and its agents have increased sweeps across San Diego County, targeting businesses, including restaurants, in both large-scale employer investigations and smaller, rapid raids…