HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 14 -Resolution Supporting Senate Bill 627 and 805
City Managers Office
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www.santa-ana.org/cm
Item # 14
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
July 15, 2025
TOPIC: Resolution Supporting Senate Bills 627 and 805, and H.R. 4176 – the No Secret
Police Act
AGENDA TITLE
Resolution Supporting Senate Bill 627 (Wiener, Arreguín, Pérez), Senate Bill 805
(Pérez), and H.R. 4176 (Correa) – the No Secret Police Act
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt a Resolution supporting Senate Bill 627, Senate Bill 805, and H.R. 4176, the No
Secret Police Act, to promote law enforcement transparency and accountability by
requiring officers to display visible identification and limiting the use of face coverings
that obscure identity, except under narrowly defined safety circumstances.
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XXX entitled A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF SANTA ANA SUPPORTING CALIFORNIA SENATE BILLS 627
(WIENER, PEREZ, ARREGUÍN), AND 805 (PEREZ, WIENER) AND H.R. 4176
(CORREA), TO PROMOTE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
Recent events in Santa Ana and across the country have involved law enforcement
officers, including federal immigration agents, operating while masked and unidentified
during public interactions, such as peaceful protests and immigration-related actions.
These practices have caused confusion, fear, and mistrust among residents, particularly
those in immigrant and mixed-status communities. Concerns have also been raised
regarding impersonation, overreach, and lack of accountability.
Senate Bill 627, introduced by Senators Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguín, would
prohibit California law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings that obscure
their identities during public interactions, with exceptions made for medical,
Resolution Supporting Senate Bills 627 and 805, and H.R. 4176 – the No Secret Police
Act
July 15, 2025
Page 2
environmental, or tactical safety reasons. It also requires visible identification and
agency markings on uniforms.
Senate Bill 805, authored by Senator Aisha Wahab Pérez, would require officers to
clearly display their name or badge number while on duty and prevent individuals from
impersonating law enforcement, addressing growing incidents of abuse and fear in
immigrant communities.
At the federal level, H.R. 4176 the No Secret Police Act, introduced by
–
Congressman Lou Correa and other members of Congress, would prohibit federal
officers, particularly from the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE), from conducting public operations while masked or lacking
agency identification. The bill was introduced following community outcry over masked
ICE agents operating without accountability in cities like Santa Ana.
These three legislative measures respond to urgent calls for transparency,
accountability, and the protection of constitutional rights. They align with the City of
Santa Ana’s values of inclusivity, public safety, and civil liberties. The City Council’s
support for these bills affirms its commitment to a community where residents can feel
safe and secure in public spaces, free from intimidation or surveillance by unidentified
officers.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
EXHIBIT(S)
1.Resolution No. 2025-XXX Supporting Senate Bill 627, Senate Bill 805, and
House Resolution 4176 – the No Secret Police Act
Submitted By: Sylvia Vazquez, Deputy City Manager
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA ANA SUPPORTING CALIFORNIA SENATE
BILLS627(WIENER, PEREZ, ARREGUÍN)AND
805 (PEREZ, WIENER) AND H.R. 4176 (CORREA),
TO PROMOTELAWENFORCEMENTTRANSPARENCY
ANDACCOUNTABILITY
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Ana is committed to fostering public trust,
transparency, and accountability in law enforcement, particularly during public
interactions, immigration enforcement actions, and peaceful assemblies; and
WHEREAS,numerous recentincidentshave involved unidentified and masked
officers operating inSanta Ana, raising concerns about officer impersonation,lackof
accountability,and the chilling effecton civic participation,especially among immigrant
communities; and
WHEREAS,California Senate Bill627 (Wiener, Perez, Arreguín)wouldprohibit
lawenforcementofficers from wearing any mask or personaldisguisewhile interacting
with the public in the performance of their duties,exceptunder narrowly defined
circumstances and withanexemption for undercover officers;and
WHEREAS,California Senate Bill 805 (Pérez,Wiener) wouldrequire personnel
of alaw enforcement agency operating inCalifornia to visibly display identification that
includeseitheraname or badge number to the public when performing their duties with
exceptionsfor undercover officers andallows an employee of a lawenforcement
agency torequestan alleged lawenforcementemployee present identification when
there is probablecause ofreasonable suspicion of acrime,including,butnotlimited to,
impersonating apeace officer,or when there is a legitimate safety concern.SB 805 will
addresswidespread concernsaboutpublic confusion and abuse;and
WHEREAS,at the federal level, H.R. 4176 (Correa), the NoSecret Police Act,
wouldrequire lawenforcementofficersand agentsofthe U.S. Departmentof
Homeland Security engaged in border security or immigration enforcement toprovide
an individual detained or arrested withanidentification of the agency ofthe U.S.
Department ofHomeland Security thatemploys such officer oragentand display or
wear the official insigniaor uniform ofsuch officer or agentinamanner this is visibleto
individuals other than the officer oragent. This legislation alsoprohibits the officer or
agentfrom wearing aface covering or any other item thatconcealstheir face. This
legislation responds to the increasing useof masked,unmarked agents in communities
like Santa Ana and reinforcesconstitutional protections;and
WHEREAS, these legislative proposals are in linewiththepublic accountability
provisions in the2021National Defense Authorization Act; and
Resolution No. 2025-XXX
Page 1of 3
right to safely engage in constitutionally protected activities without intimidation and
ensures that all law enforcement officers operating in the city are clearly identified and
accountable for their actions.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1:the City of Santa Ana hereby supportsCalifornia Senate Bills627
(Wiener, Perez, Arreguín) and 805 (Pérez, Wiener) to promote visible identification and
accountability for law enforcement officers in California, and also supports H.R. 4176,
the No Secret Police Actof 2025, introduced by Congressman Lou Correa, to prohibit
the use of masked, unidentified federal agentsduring detention or arrest of an individual
in connection with border security or immigration enforcement functions.
Section 2: this Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council, and the City Clerk shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this
Resolution.
ADOPTED this _____ day of ____________, 2025.
________________________________
Valerie Amezcua
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney
By:
Laura A. Rossini
Chief Assistant City Attorney
AYES: Councilmembers
NOES:Councilmembers
ABSTAIN:Councilmembers
NOT PRESENT:Councilmembers _
Resolution No. 2025-XXX
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CERTIFICATION OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY
I, Jennifer L. Hall, City Clerk, do hereby attest to and certify the attached Resolution No.
2025-XXX to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa
Ana on _______________.
Date: ______________________ ________________________________
City Clerk
City of Santa Ana
Resolution No. 2025-XXX
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