S.F. transit agency asks feds to remove ICE vehicles from city garage

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has formally requested that the federal government remove Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicles from the Golden Gateway Garage, a city-owned parking facility located downtown at 250 Clay Street. This request followed a report by Mission Local revealing that ICE vehicles were assigned parking spaces in a barricaded section of the garage near ICE's downtown field office.

Julie Kirschbaum, SFMTA's director of transportation, wrote to the federal General Services Administration (GSA) stating she was unaware of the arrangement until October 30 and did not approve it. She emphasized that providing parking for ICE vehicles is inconsistent with San Francisco's laws and policies.

San Francisco has sanctuary laws, including the 'ICE-Free Zones' legislation, which prohibits ICE from using city-owned property to support its operations. Kirschbaum's letter called for the immediate and permanent cessation of ICE vehicle parking at the Golden Gateway Garage.

The SFMTA's action highlights the city's ongoing efforts to enforce its sanctuary policies and prevent collaboration between municipal resources and federal immigration enforcement agencies.