Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee released a press release today that she has been told by Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez that “Border Patrol operations are cancelled for the greater Bay Area — which includes Oakland — at this time.”
Sgt. Roberto Morales, a spokesperson for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed to The Oaklandside that Sanchez has been told the federal government’s planned surge operation won’t happen — at this time — in Oakland and the rest of the county.
Not much is known about what Customs and Border Protection was planning, but the Trump administration had ordered some kind of “surge” operation targeting San Francisco and possibly other parts of the Bay Area, reportedly to begin on Saturday. On Thursday, The Oaklandside saw a caravan of CBP agents entering Coast Guard Island, a base located in the Oakland Estuary. The Coast Guard told The Oaklandside on Wednesday that the facilities would be providing support to CBP for an “operation” that was underway.
Protesters gathered at the entrance to Coast Guard Island throughout the day on Thursday, holding a march, a picket, and a faith vigil opposing any immigration crackdown.
Later in the day, President Donald Trump announced on social media he was pausing any federal “surge” in San Francisco. That left Oakland and other Bay Area communities wondering if they too would be spared.
Trump and the Department of Homeland Security, which governs CBP, have yet to clarify publicly what their intentions are for Oakland and other East Bay cities.
Sanchez issued a video statement earlier today, saying her office does not coordinate with federal agents to enforce immigration laws. But she added, “it’s important to remember that federal agencies like ICE carry out their own law enforcement operations. The sheriff’s office cannot interfere with those actions.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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