photo credit: Noah Abrams/KRCB
Esther Kempthorne, speaks next to her husband Nate, at a Saturday afternoon 
press conference held by the Sonoma County Sanctuary Coalition on October 25, 2025.

Sonoma County officials have been on a tight rope, making efforts to prepare and provide resources to the local migrant and immigrant communities, while at the same time trying not to attract increased focus from federal officials and retribution.

As KRCB News has reported, Sheriff Eddie Ingram said Sonoma County will be spared, at least for now from large-scale raids.

In an August 5 community letter, Supervisor Lynda Hopkins said passing a sanctuary ordinance won't prevent ICE activity or preempt federal jurisdiction, and fears it, "may put a target on the backs of local immigrants and refugees—particularly under a federal administration that has demonstrated a willingness to pursue retribution."

Sonoma County was on a quickly redacted list of 'sanctuary jurisdictions' put out by the Trump administration earlier this year.

Sanctuary Coalition member and Unitarian Universalist Reverend Beverly Spears said she feels the strategy of not rocking the boat isn't a good bet though.

"I don't think think that Supervisor Hopkins or supervisor Hermosillo, they think they are protecting the community somehow by not putting in more safeguards for the community," Spears said. "That's just not true."

"We all know that ICE is going to do what ICE is going to do," Spears said.

Sonoma County has taken some supportive steps over the past year.

County supervisors affirmed their commitment to California's 2013 Trust Act and 2016 Truth Act.

Those two state laws limit law enforcement role in immigration detentions and provide transparency around law enforcement communication with ICE.

The board also put a half a million dollars towards the Secure Families Collaborative, which offers legal and safety net assistance to Sonoma County's immigrant, undocumented, and refugee residents.

Still, Esther Kempthorne said many in the Latino community are fearful of even going to the grocery store with the threat of ICE detention ever present.

"We are hard workers that always trying to do something for you know, our community and to have a better to, to have the American dream, right?" Kempthorne, who recently moved to Sonoma County with her husband, said at the Saturday press conference.

Sanctuary Coalition members again repeated their calls for Sonoma County to make total non-cooperation with federal immigration action county policy, and they said they'll be protesting ICE's detention of migrants at the Sonoma County jail on Thursday afternoon, October 30, starting at 3PM.