In a meeting that lasted more than four hours on July 15, the Tulare City Council addressed a wide-ranging agenda.
At the center of the discussions were three agenda items proposed by Council Member Jose Sigala, each addressing issues of importance to his constituents in District 1, including immigration enforcement practices, healthcare access, and community investment through recreational infrastructure.
Of the three proposed items, only item 12.2, a request to invite healthcare providers to present on the local implications of the recently signed federal budget law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), received sufficient support from fellow council members to be included on the agenda for the next City Council meeting.
The other two proposals, one seeking increased transparency between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents operating in the city, and the other advocating for research into a multi-diamond softball complex on the west side of Tulare, failed to gain consensus. Both items were denied advancement to the agenda, despite a passionate public plea and detailed reasoning offered by Council Member Sigala.
Immigration Enforcement Transparency Effort Rejected
Item 12.1 called for the development of a formal policy directing Tulare Police officers to request identification from any unmasked federal agents conducting immigration enforcement operations within the city. The policy would also have required such interactions to be recorded on a body camera and reviewed by a police supervisor on site. According to Sigala, the measure was not about defying federal authority, but rather ensuring public safety and officer accountability.
“This is about transparency and community trust. Suppose ICE or anyone acting in that capacity is going to operate in Tulare. In that case, our community deserves to know who they are and why they’re here,” said Sigala during the meeting.
Sigala emphasized that the intention was not to create a sanctuary city, but to differentiate between legitimate enforcement and the increasing fear of impersonation or rogue activity. “We cannot let our community live in fear. Not of real ICE [agents], and not from posers.”
His point was echoed during public comment by Tulare resident Renee Salazar, whose passionate statement encapsulated a concern that has resonated deeply in immigrant communities across California:
“We know ICE agents are targeting residents based solely on the color of their skin. We’ve seen them in unmarked vehicles, faces covered, dressed in plain clothes, carrying assault rifles, snatching up the old lady selling tamales, or the man selling corn. We were told they only go after immigrants with a criminal past. But according to ICE’s own data, 65 percent of those detained have no criminal record.”
Council Member Dennis Mederos offered strong opposition, arguing that the proposed policy overstepped the city’s jurisdiction.
“We’re not in a position to dictate to ICE what they’re going to do or how they’re going to do it. All we will do is put a target on our back,” Mederos asserted. “It’s not appropriate for our police department to deal with ICE in that fashion.”
Despite Sigala’s insistence that this was a public safety issue and not a political stance, the item failed to reach the necessary consensus, with Council Members Mederos (District 4), Stephen Harrell (District 3), and Terry Sayre (District 2) voting against putting the item on the future agenda. The remaining votes from Sigala and Acting Mayor Patrick Isherwood were unaccounted for since it was clear that consensus would not be reached to move the item forward.
While no confirmed cases of individuals impersonating federal agents have occurred in Tulare County, the fear is not unfounded. Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere in California, particularly in Los Angeles, as well as a bizarre instance that took place outside a 7-Eleven in Fresno, further fueling local anxieties. With school about to start and the grape harvest underway, Salazar voiced concerns over what might happen if undocumented parents are detained while working, leaving their children stranded.
“What’s going to happen to those kids when they get let out of school and their parents aren’t there to pick them up?” He asked. “I just want to keep this conversation going.”
Sigala later expressed disappointment in a post-meeting email, writing:
“I take some comfort that our [Tulare] Police Chief understands the concerns of the community and will work to assure they do all they can to continue to protect our community from potential harm.”
Council Moves Forward on Healthcare Presentation
Item 12.2 received broader support and will appear on the next agenda. The proposal invites healthcare providers in Tulare and the surrounding communities to present a data-driven overview of the potential local impacts of the OBBBA, the federal budget recently signed into law on July 4. Acting Mayor Patrick Isherwood supported the motion with some reservations.
“What you’re asking for, to come in and just [give an informative presentation on how the local healthcare landscape could potentially be affected], I would endorse,” said Isherwood. “But the part I caution on is getting into any type of political discussion.”
Still, Mayor Isherwood acknowledged the value of having experts from institutions like the Kaweah Health Collaborative and Family Healthcare Network provide data and projections.
According to the National Academy for State Health Policy, approximately 12 million Americans nationwide are projected to lose healthcare coverage in 2026 as a direct result of the passing of the OBBBA. Rural areas, such as Tulare County, are projected to be among the hardest hit. Nearly 50 percent of Tulare residents rely on either Medi-Cal or Medicare for their healthcare coverage, according to The California Healthcare Foundation. The pending presentation could shed light on how OBBBA will affect access to care, provider reimbursement, and the financial sustainability of local hospitals and healthcare clinics.
Westside Softball Complex Sidelined
Item 12.3, which would have directed city staff to explore the cost and logistics of building a new multi-diamond softball complex on Tulare’s westside, also did not reach consensus. The project aimed to address long-standing recreational disparities and promote economic development in a part of town often overlooked in municipal planning.
According to Council Member Sigala, the project could catalyze youth engagement and tourism revenue. “This isn’t just about sports, it’s about economic development, health, and equity. The westside deserves the same investment we’ve seen in other parts of the city,” said Sigala during the meeting.
Despite support from some corners, concerns over conflicting budgetary priorities postponed the proposal, with Council Members Maderos, Sayre, and Mayor Isherwood not in support of the item being placed on the agenda. Council Member Sayre cited ongoing sports and recreation projects, as well as community needs regarding infrastructure for other recreational sports, as potential obstacles to moving forward at this time.
Where Things Stand
Tulare’s City Council decided to move forward with inviting local healthcare providers to give a presentation and educate the public on the potential effects of the One Big Beautiful Act. However, it rejected Sigala’s proposed agenda items regarding interactions between the Tulare Police Department and Federal Immigration Agencies enforcing the federally mandated law, and the proposed construction of a multi-diamond softball complex on the west side of town.
Near the end of the meeting, Tulare Chief of Police Fred Ynclan directly addressed the concerns raised by Council Member Sigala regarding issue 12.1 stating that it is common practice for County and State Agencies to notify the Tulare Police Department when conducting operations within their jurisdiction, and that members of those agencies may or may not decide to wear masks for operational security reasons which the Tulare Police Department has no control over. At the same time, federal agencies such as ICE and the DEA do not typically notify local authorities when conducting operations. Ynclan also emphasized that the Tulare Police Department cannot assist any federal agency with immigration enforcement under Senate Bill 54, but assured the council that Tulare PD would promptly respond to any incidents involving individuals impersonating federal agents and unlawfully harassing residents.
Council Member Sigala, however, remains undeterred:
“I will continue my efforts to see what I can do as a Council Member to help protect all of our residents from unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of the fear our immigrant community is experiencing.”