California AG Sues El Cajon Over License Plate Reader Use

Lawsuit alleges city is violating state sanctuary laws by sharing data with federal immigration authorities.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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California's Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against the city of El Cajon over its use of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology. The lawsuit claims the city is violating state sanctuary laws by sharing ALPR data with out-of-state law enforcement agencies, including federal immigration authorities.

Why it matters

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing tensions between state and local policies around data privacy and immigration enforcement. Privacy advocates argue that ALPR technology has been misused to target immigrant communities, while law enforcement defends the technology as a valuable policing tool.

The details

The lawsuit was filed in October 2025, and a recent motion claims El Cajon is sharing ALPR data with agencies across the country. An analysis found the El Cajon Police Department used the surveillance data for immigration-related searches over 550 times in 2025. El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells has defended the city's use of ALPR, calling it "a cornerstone of effective policing".

  • The lawsuit was filed in October 2025.
  • A motion was filed in late January 2026.
  • A hearing on the case is scheduled for Friday, February 13, 2026.

The players

Rob Bonta

California's Attorney General who filed the lawsuit against El Cajon.

Bill Wells

The mayor of El Cajon who has defended the city's use of ALPR technology.

Seth Hall

A privacy advocate with the Trust SD Coalition who believes the ALPR data is being misused to target immigrant communities.

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What they’re saying

“There's no question that this data is being caught up in the aggressive — in my view, unethical policies of the federal administration.”

— Seth Hall, Privacy advocate, Trust SD Coalition (KBPS)

“They're in a special situation. They have been made aware that their sharing of that data all over the country — they share with hundreds and hundreds of agencies all over the country, everywhere from Idaho and the University of Iowa and all the way over on the east coast.”

— Seth Hall, Privacy advocate, Trust SD Coalition (KBPS)

“They're in a special situation. They have been made aware that their sharing of that data all over the country — they share with hundreds and hundreds of agencies all over the country, everywhere from Idaho and the University of Iowa and all the way over on the east coast.”

— Seth Hall, Privacy advocate, Trust SD Coalition (KBPS)

What’s next

A hearing on the case is scheduled for Friday, February 13, 2026 at the San Diego Superior County Court.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing debate over the use of surveillance technologies like ALPR and their potential misuse for immigration enforcement, even in sanctuary states. It underscores the need for clear policies and oversight to protect civil liberties while allowing law enforcement to utilize effective policing tools.