More than 100 federal agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection are reportedly arriving this morning at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, potentially marking the beginning of a major immigration enforcement operation that officials have warned could mirror recent chaotic scenes in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Have information about immigration enforcement in Richmond? Contact us, anonymously or not, at hello@richmondside.org.
What’s happening now
Federal agents are arriving as soon as this morning at the Coast Guard base, which sits in the Oakland Estuary between Oakland and Alameda. The base will serve as the staging ground for operations that may stretch across the Bay Area.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Wednesday that it is providing the base as a “place of operations” for CBP agents.
Richmondside’s sister publication, The Oaklandside is reporting live from the scene this morning.
What is Coast Guard Island?
Coast Guard Island is a 67-acre artificial island in the Oakland Estuary between Oakland and Alameda that serves as one of the largest Coast Guard bases on the West Coast.
The federal base is operated by the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees both the Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection.
The Coast Guard confirmed it is providing the base as a “place of operations” for CBP agents, stating this “continues the Coast Guard’s operations to control, secure, and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches.”
What is Customs and Border Protection?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the Department of Homeland Security, with more than 60,000 employees.
It patrols U.S. borders, manages ports of entry (airports, seaports, land crossings), and enforces immigration and customs laws.
The Border Patrol, which patrols between official ports of entry, is part of CBP.
Richmond does not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement
On March 25, 2025, the Richmond City Council passed an ordinance strengthening the city’s longstanding Sanctuary City protections. The new measure, “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Richmond Limiting the Use of City Resources for Federal Immigration Enforcement,” builds upon previous policies and reaffirms the city’s commitment to protecting immigrant communities and upholding the values of equity, safety, and inclusion.
The Richmond Police Department follows this policy and does not enforce federal immigration loaws or inquire about an individuals’ immigration status.
What to know about Chicago and Los Angeles
Elected officials are concerned that this operation may be similar to deployments in Chicago and Los Angeles that led to confrontations between protesters and federal agents.
Chicago
- Since early September, 300 federal agents have been using Naval Station Great Lakes as their hub for “Operation Midway Blitz.” Block Club Chicago
- Protesters and federal agents have repeatedly clashed outside the ICE Processing Center in Broadview, Illinois; agents have used tear gas, and some protesters have been charged with crimes. Block Club Chicago
- Federal agents wearing masks confronted a Chicago alderwoman (similar to a city council member) in an alley and warned her she was “impeding” them as she tried to alert neighbors to their presence. Block Club Chicago
- An alderman was pushed to the ground by federal agents during a protest at an ICE monitoring office in South Loop. Block Club Chicago
- Someone was arrested on charges that they had tried to hit federal ICE agents with a vehicle. ABC7 Chicago
Los Angeles
- Immigration raids in early June resulted in approximately 44 arrests and sparked immediate protests. NBC News
- Federal agents often wore camouflage and masks; witnesses reported tear gas being used to clear paths for agents. NBC News
- Protests escalated, with demonstrations blocking highways and pouring into downtown streets. KQED
- Videos showed confrontations between ICE agents and angry civilians, with National Guard soldiers emerging from vans to establish protective lines between agents and the public. NPR
- During the protests, more than 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines were deployed to guard federal buildings and protect immigration agents. NPR
- Mayor Karen Bass imposed a curfew downtown after violence and looting broke out. NBC News
- LA County declared a state of emergency on Oct. 14, with officials saying raids “disrupted neighborhoods, led to missed workdays, and placed strain upon the operation of schools, hospitals, and places of worship”. CNN
Who has been recently deported from the East Bay?
Before today’s deployment, recent immigration enforcement in the East Bay has been limited:
June 10: Four people seeking asylum at the immigration court in Concord were detained. Richmondside
Aug. 12: Six people, including a 17-year-old and someone with a severe disability, were arrested at a home on 79th Avenue in East Oakland. The Oaklandside
Aug. 13: A Richmond man wanted on a criminal warrant was arrested by ICE agents. Richmondside
Sept. 8: Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old grandmother living in Hercules who for 20 years worked as a seamstress at Sari Palace in Berkeley, was detained during a routine check-in with ICE that she had been attending for 13 years.
Kaur had no criminal record and had been living and working legally in the United States for more than three decades, with her work permit renewed annually.
About 200 people protested in El Sobrante demanding her release. She was deported to India on Sept. 22 after reportedly being denied water and vegetarian meals, and being forced to sleep on detention center floors. Richmondside
Sept. 15: A man was arrested inside Oakland’s Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse — seemingly the first ICE arrest inside an Alameda County court. The man appears to have had no criminal convictions, and court officials were not notified that ICE had entered the building. The Oaklandside
East Bay officials urge residents to stay calm
State Senator Jesse Arreguín, who represents Richmond, Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda, warned residents to be cautious and peaceful if they plan to protest: “When similar deployments have occurred in other cities what we’ve seen are overly aggressive immigration enforcement tactics that lead to protests and civil unrest. The President and his goons then point to the unrest they themselves created to justify their tactics and even send in the National Guard. This administration has put their playbook on display and are seeking to create chaos in order to justify additional federal deployments. Don’t take the bait.” Richmondside
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said, “These tactics are designed to incite backlash, chaos and violence, which are then used as an excuse to deploy military personnel. They are intentionally creating a dangerous situation in the name of public safety.” San Francisco Chronicle
Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez said, “We will continue to keep the community’s interests and safety at the center of every decision as this situation evolves.”
This is a developing story. Richmondside will continue to update as more information becomes available.
