City Council in San Diego-area town of Chula Vista passes 'Safe Neighbor' ordinance to protect immigrants

Walker Armstrong, The San Diego Union-Tribune on Mar 18, 2026

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SAN DIEGO — The Chula Vista City Council voted 4-0 Tuesday to adopt an ordinance adding Chapter 2.19, known as the “Safe Neighbor Ordinance,” to the Chula Vista Municipal Code. Mayor John McCann recused himself from the vote, citing his position as a U.S. Navy Reserve officer.

The measure, which passed on the consent calendar as its second reading, establishes protections to ensure that city facilities and contracts are not used to facilitate discrimination, unlawful detention, or the criminalization of individuals based on immigration status.

The ordinance prohibits city staff from voluntarily granting federal or out-of-state law enforcement access to non-public areas of city facilities without a judicially issued warrant or court order. It also bars the city from sharing immigration status data and restricts participation in joint law enforcement operations involving immigration enforcement.

The measure extends to city vendors and contractors, who would be required under new contract terms to keep immigration status information confidential and notify the city within five business days of any request from federal or out-of-state law enforcement for assistance with immigration enforcement.

The ordinance was introduced by Councilmember Carolina Chavez and renamed at her request during the first reading on March 3. At that meeting, Chavez framed the measure as a matter of community trust.

“We are living in a moment where reckless enforcement actions at the federal level have left many people uncertain about their rights and afraid in their own communities,” she said. “That fear has real consequences for families, for our neighborhoods, and for public safety.”

The council also amended the ordinance’s reporting requirements, modifying them from one annual report to semiannual reports, with an initial report covering January through December 2025 due by the end of the fiscal year.

The ordinance takes effect 30 days after final passage and is rooted in the Good Neighbor Policy the council adopted unanimously on Nov. 18, 2025.