Demonstrators gathered outside the Marin County Civic Center, arguing that undocumented residents are living in fear and that a legally enforceable law would change the situation. The group said it had collected 10,000 signatures from residents urging supervisors to approve the measure, and eventually moved the demonstration inside the chambers.

Marin County currently operates under an internal administrative policy that prohibits county employees from voluntarily using public funds, staff or equipment to assist with federal civil immigration enforcement. The policy also bars U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from using county-owned property for staging, processing or operational bases, and requires employees to report immigration enforcement activity on county property within 24 hours.

Activists say that policy is insufficient because it lacks the force of law. "The ordinance would ban ICE from using resources, property, data, or personnel when conducting operations," said Curt Ries of DSA Marin.

"People are living in fear, that if you see around here Latinos are not present, that there's fear in the streets because of ICE," said Vanessa Mejia, an activist with the movement.

Speakers emphasized the urgency of the measure, saying community lives are being disrupted and families torn apart. They pointed to an incident last October when 18 undocumented immigrants were detained by ICE in Marin County.

The Board of Supervisors did not add the item to its agenda and was not available for an interview. County officials also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The push comes as local governments across the Bay Area weigh how far they can go to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. While so-called sanctuary policies vary widely, many are administrative directives that can be revised by county administrators. A legally binding ordinance would carry more weight and could set up a direct conflict with federal authorities.

For immigrant families in Marin, the distinction is not abstract. Activists argue that without a binding law, county employees could still face pressure to assist federal operations, and residents remain uncertain about whether local facilities could be used for enforcement activities.

The signatures delivered Tuesday do not automatically force supervisors to act, but they intensify pressure on the board to take up the proposal. Activists said they plan to continue organizing until the ordinance is adopted.