SLO police chief has a message for anyone who feels threatened by ICE: Call us
Over the past 13 months, federal immigration agents have poured resources into San Luis Obispo and taken 60 people into custody from the city, according to data from local nonprofit 805 UndocuFund.
The spike in ICE activity has spread fear in the community, as masked agents in unmarked vehicles took people into custody from outside the San Luis Obispo County Superior Courthouse, near apartments on Bullock Lane and Orcutt Road, and from the San Luis Obispo County Jail lobby.
San Luis Obispo Police Chief Rick Scott said he takes that fear seriously, and he pledged to protect all community members regardless of their immigration status.
“If you’re not here legally, we don’t care and we never ask. Our job is to protect you from harm,” Scott told The Tribune. “Now that you’re here, we’re going to protect you to the best of our ability.”
Scott encouraged community members to call 911 with any concerns about ICE.
“We have an obligation and a responsibility to lower the tension in our community,” he said. “We can’t impede another agency’s operation, but we can provide a sense of comfort for all of our community, even if they’re undocumented.”
SLO Police Department updates website on immigration
As part of its messaging, the department recently updated the immigration page on its website, which up until a few months ago focused on explaining what SLO officers will not do in relation to immigration enforcement.
The new section now lists another four bullets about what the officers will do.
Upon request, police will “attempt to verify” whether individuals who identify themselves as ICE agents or police officers actually work for the agency.
“If there are people in our community carrying out ICE operations that may be masked or may not be readily identifiable, and it’s causing anxiety or concern — the police will come,” Scott said. “Please call the police. You don’t have to wonder, is this ICE? Are these not law enforcement?”
Scott said his officers will ask ICE agents for their identification and the nature of their business. If the individual is not actually a federal agent, police will intervene, he said.
Police will also “provide information and support for any community member feeling threatened or intimidated by another person’s actions” and “respond to maintain peace and order,” the website says.
State law prevents all local law enforcement agencies from collaborating with ICE. This means the San Luis Obispo Police Department will not share immigration information with federal officials “unless necessary to maintain safety in the city or to comply with federal law,” the website said.
The Police Department also said it would not conduct immigration checkpoints or ask for the immigration status of criminal suspects, witnesses or people calling 911 for help.
Meanwhile, police will not “use city monies, resources or personnel to investigate, question, detect or apprehend persons solely for federal immigration violations, unless required by state or federal law,” the website said.
“We don’t want to be immigration agents,” Scott said. “So I’m thankful that our state legislature protects law enforcement from that role.”
Angel Corzo contributed reporting to this article.
This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 3:33 PM.
