(HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA) Hayward is reaffirming that its employees — including police officers — do not take part in federal immigration enforcement. City officials say the long-standing rules remain in effect: staff do not ask about immigration status, do not collect or store that information, and do not assist in civil immigration operations. The policy goal is clear: keep city services open to everyone and maintain trust with immigrant residents, while allowing police to focus on local crime, not immigration status.
City leaders first set the course in 2017, when the City Council declared Hayward a Sanctuary City. The resolution blocks the use of city resources for immigration enforcement and states that people can seek services without fear that a routine request will become a deportation risk. The Hayward Police Department follows Police Department Policy 415, which bans officers from joining immigration checkpoints or trying to determine immigration status during calls for help, reports of crime, or other routine contacts.
Officials point to public safety as the main reason. When people worry that a police stop may lead to immigration detention, they avoid calling 911, skip witness interviews, and delay reporting crimes. Hayward says these policies are meant to prevent that outcome. The city cites its large immigrant population — with about 42% foreign-born and 18% non-U.S. citizens — as a factor that shapes how local rules are designed to keep the entire community safe.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, cities that separate local policing from federal immigration enforcement often see higher reporting of domestic violence, wage theft, and neighborhood crimes. That reporting helps solve cases and can reduce repeat offenses. In Hayward, the message from City Hall and the police is direct: seeking help won’t trigger immigration status checks.
Policy framework and legal context
Hayward’s approach works within California law. The California Values Act (SB 54), also called the Trust Act, limits how local police can help with federal immigration enforcement and sets rules for when information can be shared. The city’s stance aligns with this state framework.
For readers seeking the state’s official guidance, the California Department of Justice provides public resources on SB 54 and related protections at the California Department of Justice guidance on the California Values Act (SB 54).
Federal courts have also blocked attempts to strip funding from sanctuary jurisdictions in a broad way. City lawyers say those rulings protect local authority to set policing priorities. Hayward’s policies focus on local crime and safety, and leave immigration enforcement to federal agencies that have that specific role under federal law.
The city’s Immigration Status Non-Discrimination Administrative Rule applies to all departments. Staff are instructed to offer services without discrimination based on immigration status. This policy covers:
- Public safety
- Housing programs
- Libraries
- Parks
- Other municipal services
Training for city staff emphasizes how to respond when residents ask about privacy, what to do if a federal officer seeks assistance, and how to handle records so immigration status is neither collected nor stored.
Important: The rule applies citywide — not just to police — and is designed to prevent the collection or storage of immigration status information.
Community impact and police operations
The Hayward Police Department says Policy 415 guides everyday practice. Key operational points include:
- Officers do not ask about immigration status during stops, interviews, or while taking reports.
- Officers do not participate in federal civil immigration operations or conduct immigration checkpoints.
- If a federal request relates to a non-immigration criminal offense (for example, an arrest warrant for a felony unrelated to immigration status), the department may coordinate in line with normal criminal procedures.
The department draws a strict line between civil immigration matters and non-immigration criminal enforcement. They state they do not hold people longer for civil immigration purposes, in alignment with SB 54 limits and city policy.
For residents: three key points
- City services are available to everyone, regardless of immigration status.
- Police won’t ask about status when you report a crime or seek help.
- City resources won’t be used for federal immigration enforcement, except when a case involves non-immigration criminal offenses.
Local advocates say these rules reduce fear in mixed-status families — households where some members are U.S. citizens and others lack legal status. Examples of reported impacts:
- Parents feel safer seeking help at schools, clinics, and libraries.
- Small business owners are more willing to call police about burglaries and fraud.
- Victims of domestic violence are more likely to file police reports and seek restraining orders.
Police leaders argue that separating local policing from immigration work is also practical. It:
- Keeps city resources focused on calls for service, investigations, and neighborhood safety plans
- Reduces the risk that witnesses or victims of crime will go silent
- Helps the department earn trust in communities where past experiences with government may have been tense or traumatic
Outreach, public education, and ongoing policy evolution
City staff and community groups host outreach events to explain these protections and invite questions. These sessions cover:
- People’s rights when interacting with city staff and police
- How to contact police and request translation services
- How to report hate incidents and bias crimes
The goal is to ensure residents know they can come forward and that their information won’t be used for immigration checks.
Hayward’s leaders say the policies will continue to evolve as state and federal law change. But the core principles remain steady:
- City resources are for local priorities.
- Community trust is a safety asset.
- Immigration status is not a barrier to city services.
In the United States 🇺🇸, local governments play a direct role in how safe people feel in their own neighborhoods. Hayward’s rules — especially Police Department Policy 415 — show how one city has chosen to draw that line.
Takeaway: Hayward emphasizes that separating local policing from civil immigration enforcement is intended to improve public safety, maintain community trust, and ensure municipal services are available to all residents.
This Article in a Nutshell
Hayward has reinforced a long-standing sanctuary-city approach: city employees, including police, do not assist in federal immigration enforcement, do not ask about immigration status, and do not collect or store that information. Adopted in 2017 and guided by Police Department Policy 415 and a citywide non-discrimination rule, the policies seek to keep services accessible and build trust with a diverse population—about 42% foreign-born and 18% noncitizens. The approach aligns with California’s SB 54, which limits local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Officials say these rules improve public safety by increasing crime reporting and protecting victims, while outreach and staff training explain residents’ rights and procedures for federal requests.
