DATE:
October 21st, 2025
17
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
STANDING UP FOR DUE PROCESS: THE CIVIL LIBERTIES ENFORCEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY RULES (CLEAR) ORDINANCE (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
County facilities are where San Diegans turn for help, to apply for food assistance, enroll in healthcare, report wage theft, meet with a caseworker, or speak with a public defender. They are meant to be safe, welcoming, and rooted in trust, reflecting the County's highest purpose: that the noblest motive is the public good. Yet across the country, troubling incidents have shown what happens when that trust is violated.
In Los Angeles, rogue federal agents stopped a car on a busy street, pulling over a driver and intimidating them without cause, only to abruptly leave once they realized they had the wrong person. The individual was left shaken and humiliated, without answers or accountability. Similar incidents have taken place in clinics, shelters, and community centers, where people seeking help were confronted by individuals claiming to be law enforcement, often without identification or a valid warrant. These actions undermine constitutional rights, erode confidence in public institutions, and deter our constituents from accessing essential services.
The results are stark: families skip appointments, workers hesitate to file complaints, and patients avoid care. This chilling effect pushes residents away from the very systems designed to protect and support them.
At the same time, the existing laws are clear. Federal agents are already required by law to obtain a judicial warrant before entering non-public areas - whether on County property or private premises - but too often the public does not know their rights. Agents may enter under the color of authority, and staff or residents may feel pressured to allow access they are not legally required to give. The result is confusion, intimidation, and a climate of fear that keeps people from seeking the...
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