San Diego County Board Approves Small Business ICE Raid Rights Training

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to implement the Small Business Know Your Rights program, designed to educate small business owners and employees about their rights during U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. The initiative, prompted by a widely publicized ICE raid on the South Park restaurant Buona Forchetta, will include multilingual training sessions and practical tools to help employers respond legally to workplace enforcement actions. The program will be overseen by the county Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement and will also be available to the public and county employees. Recent data from the Deportation Data Project show a shift in ICE arrests, with over 72% of detainees by June having no criminal charges aside from undocumented status, highlighting concerns about the impact of increased ICE activity on local workplaces and the economy. Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer emphasized the program's goal to protect constitutional rights, uphold due process, and prevent federal enforcement actions from destabilizing San Diego's economy, particularly given the significant portion of immigrant-owned small businesses operating on thin margins. The Board will formally consider the proposal during its meeting.