|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Blocks away from Redwood City’s hallmark Hispanic heritage celebration for Día de los Muertos, a second individual was reportedly arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement outside of Maguire Correctional Facility on Sunday.
The rapid response network for San Mateo County published an alert that ICE detained a person across the street from the county jail at 3:45 p.m. on Sunday. San Mateo County has only seen targeted arrests to date, according to the network.
Volunteer ICE verifiers remained in front of and around the jail until 2:30 a.m. Monday, according to Nancy Goodban of Fixin’ San Mateo County. Redwood City Council member Chris Sturken was also on the scene Friday and Sunday night.
“I’m here to uphold the human dignity of everyone regardless of their status and regardless of their legal history,” Sturken said in an interview. “I think that is really important to make crystal clear.”
On Friday night, volunteers said two ICE agents took one recently released inmate into custody and were looking for another. Nearly a dozen volunteers with organizations including Faith in Action Bay Area, Peninsula Interfaith Coalition on Immigration and SIREN Immigration Rights remained outside the jail Friday night into Saturday morning.
The county’s rapid response team said ICE was present outside of Maguire starting at 3:15 p.m. Friday and again at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in addition to the time noted on Sunday into Monday morning.
Two vehicles with tinted windows and no front license plates were parked nearby or in front of the jail Sunday evening.
On Friday night, Sturken said he identified two ICE agents outside the jail. One agent showed a badge, but neither provided a judicial warrant, he said.
Sara Matlin, an ACLU San Mateo County Chapter volunteer who spoke in her personal capacity, said volunteers believed ICE had taken at least one person into custody Friday night after the person was released from the jail.
A San Mateo County ordinance bars Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from staging on county property for immigration enforcement, including the space in front of the jail.
The Sunday action took place a five-minute walk from Courthouse Square, where the city’s Día de los Muertos celebration carried on. As in previous years, many people showed up to honor the deceased and Hispanic tradition.
Redwood City Mayor Elmer Martínez Saballos put out a statement on Saturday ahead of the festival.
“As Courthouse Square is prepared for Día de los Muertos, a time to honor our ancestors and celebrate cultural traditions, I want to reaffirm Redwood City’s unwavering commitment to serving all community members, regardless of immigration status,” Saballos said.
He noted the city’s commitment to complying with the California Values Act, meaning city employees, including police officers, “do not ask about immigration status when providing services,” and that the Redwood City Police Department does not enforce federal civil immigration laws.
While ICE activity was of concern at last year’s Día de los Muertos event, Sheriff Kennith Binder spoke before a cheering crowd this year to reaffirm the county’s commitment not to cooperate with ICE.
While San Mateo County currently has a policy not to notify ICE when people are released or to hold inmates at the agency’s request, some worry that county officials are looking to change that.
Days earlier, dozens of community members spoke out against San Mateo County Supervisors Jackie Speier, Ray Mueller and Lisa Gauthier’s call for data on violent criminal convictions of people named in ICE detainer requests. Critics voiced concerns that the data could weaken the non-cooperation policy, though the supervisors’ vote did not directly touch the county’s ordinance.
Anyone with information about individuals who are detained are encouraged to call the rapid response hotline at 203-666-4472, or 203-NO-MIGRA.
Pulse visual journalist Seeger Gray contributed to this story.
Volunteers keep watch outside Redwood City jail after reported ICE activityNovember 6, 2026 11:10 pm
