Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and other federal agents arrived in the Bay Area on Thursday. Though the planned “surge” of San Francisco was called off by President Donald Trump earlier that day, future federal operations in the area remain uncertain.
Trump first announced plans to deploy over 100 CBP and federal agents to the Bay Area during an interview on Sunday. On Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Trump was following through with his threat of deployment.
On Thursday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social saying he “was preparing to ‘surge’ San Francisco, California, on Saturday” but had called off the operation due to several “friends of [his] who live in the area call[ing] last night to ask [him] not to go forward.” Despite this, CBP agents began to arrive at Coast Guard Island in Alameda on Thursday, sparking confusion over whether Trump’s reversal applied to other Bay Area cities beyond San Francisco proper.
The Coast Guard released a statement upon their arrival, writing, “Through a whole of government approach, we are leveraging our unique authorities and capabilities to detect, deter, and interdict illegal aliens, narco-terrorists, and individuals intent on terrorism or other hostile activity before they reach our border.”
The agents were met with hundreds of protesters blocking the entrance to the island—forming a human barricade—and chanting while holding signs with messages like “protect our neighbors.” Protesters were faced with riot gear, chemical agents, and flash bangs in order to allow Department of Homeland Security vehicles through. Later that night, a driver reportedly “driving erratically” reversed toward the base gate, prompting Coast Guard officers to open fire and injure the driver and a bystander.
On Friday, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee stated she was informed by Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez that the operation’s cancellation would occur in all Bay Area cities, not just San Francisco proper. Lee claimed that Sanchez was in communication with federal officials.
Since it is still uncertain whether federal troops will remain inactive in the Bay Area, District Superintendent Crystal Leach sent an email to District staff. Leach notified them of the deployment of federal troops, informed them that all students have the right to receive education regardless of immigration status, and explained that if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrive, employees should not provide any information before contacting a supervisor. Principal Karl Losekoot later sent the same message to M-A families.
Federal agents have a record of often detaining people outside of the immediate area they are deployed to. During their Los Angeles deployment, ICE confirmed arrests as far as Lucerne Valley and Santa Maria, 105 and 158 miles, respectively, from their Los Angeles headquarters. Similar patterns were reported in Chicago and Portland.
M-A is only 22 miles from Coast Guard Island in Alameda. If federal operations were to begin again in the Bay Area, San Mateo County could likely be a target.
An anonymous federal source told KTVU that operations had “‘pre-identified’ targets, which would have likely included going to Home Depots around the Bay Area, as there are often undocumented immigrants there.”
Trump commented on Thursday via Truth Social about San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s plea to hold off federal activity, stating he is “making a mistake” because “[federal agents] can do it much faster, and remove the criminals that the Law does not permit him to remove.” Trump said he was influenced to call off the surge by tech billionaires—specifically mentioning NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.
Still, Governor Gavin Newsom urged caution and foresight. “I’m not thinking for a second that this is the end of this in California—quite the contrary,” he said. “This guy’s just winding up. Watch ICE, not just the National Guard. Watch what’s going on with your own eyes all across this country.”
To report nearby ICE activity, please contact the San Mateo County Rapid Response Hotline.
