SERVICE
File a Sanctuary City Ordinance complaint
What to do if a City employee has helped enforce federal immigration law.
What to know
Cost
No fee for this service.
What to know
City employees aren't allowed to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforce immigration law unless a federal or state law specifically requires them to help.
What to do
1. Contact us for an interview
To file a complaint, contact the Human Rights Commission to schedule an intake interview.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Get directions
2. Tell us what happened
Bring any documentation about your complaint to the scheduled interview. We'll ask you questions about what happened.
3. Hear back from us
We will send a letter of concern or a formal complaint to the department, agency, or commission your complaint is about. They must respond in writing.
Then we will contact you about mediation.
4. Participate in mediation
If mediation is successful and both parties reach an agreement, we will close the case.
If mediation doesn't work, we may conduct a formal investigation. We may issue a Director’s Finding of Non-Compliance with the Sanctuary City Ordinance based on evidence from the investigation.
We will send the Director's Finding to the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor’s Office.
You can report without giving your name. But if you don’t give us your name, we can't ask you questions or tell you what happens.
Supporting information
Your Sanctuary City rights
Unless there's a specific legal requirement, City employees may not use City resources to:
- Help any ICE investigation, detention, or arrest for civil violations of federal immigration law
- Ask about immigration status on any application for City benefits, services, or opportunities
- Limit City services or benefits based on immigration status
- Provide information about the release status or personal information of any individual
- Hold someone based on a civil immigration detainer after they're eligible for release from custody
For more information, read the City and County of Refuge ordinance.
Get help
Partner agencies
What to know
Cost
No fee for this service.
What to know
City employees aren't allowed to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforce immigration law unless a federal or state law specifically requires them to help.
What to do
1. Contact us for an interview
To file a complaint, contact the Human Rights Commission to schedule an intake interview.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Get directions
2. Tell us what happened
Bring any documentation about your complaint to the scheduled interview. We'll ask you questions about what happened.
3. Hear back from us
We will send a letter of concern or a formal complaint to the department, agency, or commission your complaint is about. They must respond in writing.
Then we will contact you about mediation.
4. Participate in mediation
If mediation is successful and both parties reach an agreement, we will close the case.
If mediation doesn't work, we may conduct a formal investigation. We may issue a Director’s Finding of Non-Compliance with the Sanctuary City Ordinance based on evidence from the investigation.
We will send the Director's Finding to the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor’s Office.
You can report without giving your name. But if you don’t give us your name, we can't ask you questions or tell you what happens.
Supporting information
Your Sanctuary City rights
Unless there's a specific legal requirement, City employees may not use City resources to:
- Help any ICE investigation, detention, or arrest for civil violations of federal immigration law
- Ask about immigration status on any application for City benefits, services, or opportunities
- Limit City services or benefits based on immigration status
- Provide information about the release status or personal information of any individual
- Hold someone based on a civil immigration detainer after they're eligible for release from custody
For more information, read the City and County of Refuge ordinance.