In videos of the arrest that went viral last weekend, approximately 20 SFPD officers are seen making a protective circle around two plain-clothes ICE agents arresting a Guatemalan woman at the airport as her nine-year-old daughter watches. Some officers are seen pushing onlookers back as they try to document the incident.
Community members gathered today, in response, to protest the conduct of those police officers and file a public records request and a formal complaint with the Department of Police Accountability.
Angela Chan is Assistant Chief Attorney at the San Francisco Public Defender's Office. She helped write the state and city’s sanctuary laws. She also helped organize the protest today.
"A wall of SFPD officers shielding ICE as if it was their job to protect federal agents instead of the people of San Francisco," she said, "Let's be clear, you don't need a law degree to understand the SFPD violated state and local sanctuary laws that night."
San Francisco passed its sanctuary ordinance in 1989, prohibiting city employees from using government funds or resources to assist ICE enforcement. Advocates argue that Sunday’s actions are also in violation of SFPD’s own 2020 directive, which prohibits cooperation with ICE and Border Patrol “in any investigation, detention, or arrest procedures.”
KALW reached out to SFPD for comment. A spokesperson replied that their officers responded to a 911 call at SFO, but that they were not involved in the arrest.
Laura Valdez, the executive Director of Mission Action, says that the woman and daughter, who were arrested at SFO, were waiting at the gate to board a flight to Miami.
"According to the mayor, and his staff, SFPD was responding to what they believe was domestic violence," Valdez said. "ICE agents would not identify themselves to SFPD when they arrived."
According to California law, the Police Department has 10 days to respond to the public records request.
