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Palo Alto Considers Backing Sanctuary Cities in Federal Lawsuits
City Council to discuss joining amicus briefs supporting jurisdictions sued by DOJ over sanctuary policies.
Published on Mar. 2, 2026
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The Palo Alto City Council will discuss next week whether to join other cities in supporting sanctuary city policies that are being challenged in federal lawsuits by the U.S. Department of Justice. While Palo Alto does not have an official sanctuary city policy, the city's police department has prohibited officers from assisting federal immigration enforcement or inquiring about immigration status. The council will consider filing or joining amicus briefs in support of defendant cities in four ongoing cases brought by the federal government.
Why it matters
These lawsuits represent an escalation of the conflict between sanctuary cities and the federal government over immigration enforcement. Palo Alto's decision to support the defendant cities could set an important precedent and further embolden local governments to resist federal pressure on sanctuary policies.
The details
The four lawsuits were initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice against sanctuary city policies in Rochester, N.Y.; Newark, N.J.; New York City and the state of Minnesota. The federal government argues that these policies violate the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution by obstructing federal immigration enforcement. However, the defendants and their supporters contend that courts have already rejected similar challenges to sanctuary city policies.
- The Palo Alto City Council will discuss the lawsuits during a closed session next Monday night.
- The cases were filed by the DOJ last spring and fall.
The players
Palo Alto City Council
The governing body of the city of Palo Alto, California that will consider whether to support sanctuary cities facing federal lawsuits.
Andrew Binder
The Palo Alto Police Chief who has stated that local officers are prohibited from assisting federal immigration enforcement or inquiring about immigration status.
Vicki Veenker
The Mayor of Palo Alto who has expressed support for defunding ICE and protecting residents from federal immigration actions.
Greer Stone
The Vice Mayor of Palo Alto who has also advocated for defunding ICE and celebrating the end of its operations.
What they’re saying
“'It needs to stop, be defunded, be paused, be gutted, whatever is the proper way to do it. If ICE were to stop all operations tomorrow, I would absolutely celebrate that.'”
— Greer Stone, Vice Mayor of Palo Alto (paloaltoonline.com)
What’s next
Any action from the closed session discussion will be reported out by Mayor Veenker immediately after it concludes, in accordance with the Brown Act.
The takeaway
Palo Alto's decision on whether to support sanctuary cities facing federal lawsuits will have significant implications for the ongoing conflict between local governments and the federal government over immigration enforcement. The city's stance could embolden other municipalities to resist federal pressure on sanctuary policies.
