photo credit: Shandra Back
Protesters outside of the county jail on October 30, 2025.

The crowd chanted and held signs that had slogans like “non-collaboration ordinance now.”

The protest was organized by Sanctuary Coalition of Sonoma County, a group of immigrant advocates and community leaders. And the non-collaboration ordinance is what protesters want the County Board of Supervisors to pass.

It would make it clear that the county’s policy prohibits the sheriff from working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

But county officials say the ordinance would be largely symbolic. They rejected the plea in August explaining that legally they cannot force the Sheriff to follow such an ordinance.

Renee Saucedo is the leader of the Sanctuary Coalition. She acknowledges that an ordinance wouldn’t be legally binding. But Saucedo says it would send a clear message to the Sheriff that the community doesn’t want him to cooperate with ICE.

"It's easier to apply pressure on the sheriff to do the right thing if we have a county law that says that's what we want to do," said Saucedo.

Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram said he’s gotten that message. He added that the Sonoma Sheriffs already have a policy in place that is stricter than state law.