Discussion of California Law Becomes Flashpoint for Shasta County Pro-Immigrant Protest

A group of twenty or so pro-immigrant protesters organized a lunchtime demonstration in front of the County Administrative Building in Downtown Redding on February 25, chanting “love not hate makes America great!” 

Some of their hand drawn signs read “IMMIGRANTS ARE VITAL TO AMERICA!” and “MELT ICE.” Drivers zooming down Court Street both heckled and cheered in response. As two nearly identical pickup trucks passed the group in adjacent lanes, one driver held up a peace sign while the other gave protesters the finger. 

Immigration is a flashpoint issue in Shasta County as evidenced by yesterday’s protest, which was prompted by an agenda item being discussed by the Board of Supervisors. Moments before the protest began, Shasta County Undersheriff Gene Randall delivered a staff report to County Board members outlining the number of times the Sheriff’s team has coordinated with Federal Customs Enforcement to provide access to undocumented people they’ve been in contact with. This public access to data may include “demographic characteristics of individuals to whom the agency has provided ICE access, the date ICE access was provided, and whether the ICE access was provided through a hold, transfer, or notification request or through other means.”

Local law enforcement agencies across California are required to publicly disclose this information, as per AB 2792, otherwise known as California’s TRUTH Act. An agenda item on the February 25 Board Meeting was the result of the law which requires that local jurisdictions provide “the public (access) to receive and consider public comment regarding federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to individuals for civil immigration enforcement.” 

While it is against California law for state agencies to help facilitate ICE deportations in most scenarios, there are certain conditions under which law enforcement can disclose the whereabouts of an undocumented person to Customs Enforcement. For example, if an undocumented person already in police custody has been convicted of certain violent or financial crimes, local law enforcement is permitted to provide relevant information to federal agencies. In early February, Shasta Scout reviewed the related policies of the County Sheriff, RPD, and APD, all of which are compliant with state law. 

According to Undersheriff Randall’s presentation, during the 2024 calendar year there were 39 “people of interest” to ICE in custody at the County, but the Sheriff’s Office only shared information related to one of those individuals with Customs Enforcement. In response to a question from Supervisor Allen Long, a former law enforcement officer,  Randall explained that the information was shared in that particular case due to “a federal warrant signed by a federal judge.” Randall told Shasta Scout after his presentation that he didn’t know the details of the crime committed by the sole person whose information was shared with ICE last year.  

Despite the Sheriff’s Office stated compliance with California’s law, which generally enshrine undocumented people with stronger rights than do the laws of many other states around the nation, the routine staff report was a catalyst for several strongly-worded public comments.

Community member Christian Gardnier pointed out that statistically, undocumented people are less likely to commit crimes than American citizens despite the air of criminality that is often projected onto them. Another member of the public, Benjamin Nowain, discussed the devastating economic consequences that mass deportations are expected to have on service industries.

Scout, the organizer of the protest, who preferred to use only a single name, used her comment to cast doubt on whether the County is really willing to uphold the policies that make California a “sanctuary state.” In a follow up interview with Shasta Scout, she cited the Board’s vote against being a sanctuary city in April of 2024, as motivation for her comment.

There were also strong comments from those with opposing positions. Chair of the local chapter of Moms for Liberty, Leslie Sawyer, called the pro-immigrant protest a “circus… to sell misinformation and cause division in our community.”

Shasta County Office of Education Board member Teresa Roberts used her public comment during the routine item to suggest that the Board take action to make the County a non-sanctuary to undocumented immigrants, adding that she has “lots of friends that are actually not illegal.” Another community member who gave her name only as Margaret took a similar approach, stating plainly, “if you’re a legal immigrant… welcome. If you are illegal, go home.”

On a national level, the Trump administration continues to lag on its promise of mass deportations, currently moving at a slower rate than Biden did in his last year in office. To meet Trump’s goal of removing 11 million undocumented immigrants during his term, ICE is cooperating with other federal agencies and has begun incarcerating people in Guantánamo Bay. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem recently stated without evidence that the infamous military base is being used to imprison immigrants who are “the worst of the worst,” despite evidence that some of those held have no criminal associations. 

2.27.25 9:09 am: We have updated the story to clarify a name.

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