Pasadena Advances Policies to Limit Immigration Enforcement on City Property

Pasadena officials are moving forward with a series of policy changes aimed at limiting the use of City property for federal immigration enforcement and increasing transparency around such activity, according to a report to the City Council.

The update follows a unanimous Feb. 23 Council directive ordering staff to study and implement measures to mitigate what officials described as the impacts of federal civil immigration enforcement overreach on City resources and community safety.

Among the proposals under development is a policy restricting the use of City-owned or controlled properties — including parking lots, garages and non-public areas of facilities — as staging or processing sites for immigration enforcement operations. The policy would include exceptions required by law, such as judicial warrants and criminal investigations.

City staff have already begun posting signage at municipal facilities limiting access to non-public areas and are preparing additional signs to explicitly prohibit the use of City property for immigration enforcement purposes.

The Pasadena Police Department is also formalizing protocols for responding to immigration enforcement activity. Under the proposed policy, officers would be required to activate body-worn cameras, document incidents and refrain from assisting in federal immigration actions while maintaining public safety.

The report outlines additional steps, including creating a public webpage with immigration-related resources, establishing reporting requirements for City employees and contractors, and requiring contractors to disclose any business relationships with the Department of Homeland Security.

Staff do not recommend regulating private property use for enforcement activities but are exploring voluntary signage options for property owners.

City officials said many measures are expected to be implemented in the coming weeks, with some policies anticipated to be completed by April or May.