San Diego County Enacts CLEAR Ordinance Requiring Judicial Warrants for ICE Entry into Nonpublic Facilities

New countywide rules take effect Feb. 28, 2026, reshaping how federal immigration agents may access restricted spaces

San Diego County has put into effect a new ordinance that limits when federal immigration agents may enter nonpublic areas of county-controlled facilities. The measure, known as the Civil Liberties Enforcement and Accountability Rules ordinance, took effect Friday, Feb. 28, 2026, after approval by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 28, 2026.

At its core, the ordinance requires federal immigration agents, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to present a judicial warrant before entering nonpublic areas of county buildings. The restriction applies to spaces not generally open to the public, such as back offices and restricted administrative areas, and is designed to establish consistent access rules across county departments.

What the ordinance changes in day-to-day practice

The county’s policy does not bar federal agents from operating in public areas of county facilities. Instead, it draws a distinction between public-facing spaces and restricted areas, setting documentation requirements for entry into the latter. County leaders have described the ordinance as an effort to ensure county services remain accessible without disruption while clarifying when federal enforcement activity may occur on county property.

• Judicial-warrant requirement for entry into nonpublic areas of county facilities.

• Multilingual signage intended to inform visitors of their rights and what documentation is required for federal access to restricted areas.

• Data-privacy safeguards aimed at limiting misuse of sensitive information held by county entities.

• Requirements extending certain civil-rights and compliance standards to county contractors, grantees, and lessees operating on county property.

New reporting requirements tied to immigration-enforcement activity

The ordinance also adds a transparency component related to law-enforcement responses involving federal immigration activity. Under the policy, when the Sheriff’s Department responds to a call for service related to federal immigration enforcement, a public incident report is to be produced within three business days. The reporting framework is intended to document key details such as which agencies were involved and whether a judicial warrant was presented, along with identifying information for personnel involved.

County facilities exist to deliver public services, and the ordinance establishes conditions for federal entry into nonpublic county spaces.

How this fits into broader local and state policy

The new county ordinance follows earlier county actions to narrow cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and arrives amid wider regional efforts by local governments to define rules around federal immigration activity on local property. The ordinance takes effect in a policy environment where California law already limits the role of state and local law enforcement in immigration enforcement under certain circumstances, and it formalizes county procedures for access, documentation, and reporting within county-controlled settings.

County budget materials connected to the ordinance indicate implementation is planned within existing fiscal resources, without adding net general-fund costs or new staff positions.