Mayor Ashcraft Answers Concerns About ICE in Alameda
At a joint press conference on Friday, October 24, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon convened mayors of the seven East Bay cities in her congressional district—Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro, Emeryville, Albany, and Piedmont—to address the impacts of the federal shutdown, which she attributed to Republican obstruction in Washington. Simon emphasized that the shutdown threatens access to health care, food assistance, and housing support for thousands of residents in the district.
Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft discussed the effects of the shutdown relating to health care, housing, infrastructure, and climate resilience. She also addressed numerous questions on recent federal troop activity on Coast Guard Island, which is located in Alameda.
Districtwide effects
Congresswoman Simon opened the press conference by condemning the “Republican shutdown,” calling it a direct threat to working families in her district and saying that “Democrats have been clear that we’re ready and willing to negotiate to (reopen) the government, but our calls have been unanswered.”
Simon emphasized that the shutdown endangers health care access, warning that the proposed Big Beautiful Bill “will take health care away from 15 to 17 million Americans, (including) 30,000 in this district in the next 10 years.” She framed her leadership as focused on “saving health care” and “protecting all Americans—not just Democrats.”
Highlighting the shutdown’s human impact, Simon noted that “10,000 federal workers” in the district are affected, with ripple effects on local economies and essential services. Even as federal workers struggle, she said, “they’re asking us to hold the line” in defense of health care and warned that the proposed “big, ugly bill” could raise Covered California health insurance costs drastically. (Governor Gavin Newsom’s office reports that Covered California consumers may see their premiums nearly double.)
Simon reaffirmed that her office remains open “seven days a week” to help constituents navigate SNAP (food stamps), Section 8 housing assistance, Social Security, Veterans Administration benefits, and immigration concerns.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee cited growing hardships for low-income families who “rely on their city and federal government just to survive.” Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii similarly said that the people hurt most “are the ones who have already been suffering.” San Leandro Mayor Juan González III added, “Government is not here to make the rich richer. It is here to lift up the vulnerable.”
Emeryville Mayor David Mourra called the shutdown “unnecessary chaos,” while Albany Mayor Robin D. López emphasized that access to healthcare “shouldn’t take privilege.” Piedmont Vice Mayor Conna McCarthy noted that while Piedmont is less affected by the shutdown, Piedmont residents shop, dine, and work in surrounding communities and care what happens there.
Effects on Alameda
Mayor Ashcraft emphasized that Alameda doesn’t need “troops on Coast Guard Island” but rather the federal funds already granted to keep the city safe through programs like Safe Streets and Roads for All. Those grants, she said, are now paused due to the shutdown, jeopardizing public safety projects.
Ashcraft also underscored the urgent need for climate action, warning that “even if you don’t live in a waterfront community, if we don’t do something about sea level rise, you will.” She described Alameda’s collaboration with Oakland, San Leandro, and 30 regional stakeholders to secure a $55 million FEMA grant for sea level rise mitigation—a “game changer” that was later halted by the Trump administration.
On healthcare, Ashcraft noted that as subsidies vanish, residents will turn to emergency rooms like the one at Alameda Hospital, causing fiscal strain. She warned that Section 8 landlords will stop receiving payments in November, deepening the region’s housing crisis. Similarly, Governor Newsom recently announced that CalFresh benefits will likely be delayed or cut off in November. Despite these challenges, Ashcraft expressed hope in the leadership of Congresswoman Simon and praised her for “hitting the ground running” in defense of working families.
Federal troops in Alameda
Mayor Ashcraft fielded numerous questions about recent federal troop activity in Alameda. She began by clarifying that the federal government had provided no direct communication to Alameda officials regarding the deployment of troops. “I’m not sure how those troops got onto Coast Guard Island—they could come by water, because it is an island,” she said.
She underscored Alameda’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, calling the city a “proud official U.S. Coast Guard City.” However, she acknowledged that the usual lines of communication with Coast Guard leadership had been temporarily severed due to federal restrictions. The Coast Guard Island base operates under the Department of Homeland Security, not local jurisdiction: “They take their orders from the top, and it’s not as though they had a choice.”
When asked about the violent U-Haul incident at Coast Guard Island, in which a man was shot by federal officers, Ashcraft said she had been deeply shaken.
“When I opened my news apps this morning and saw ‘shooting at Coast Guard Island,’ of course I panicked,” she admitted. She warned residents to avoid confrontation: “Don’t take the bait—that’s what they want. They want an excuse to send more troops in.”
She also highlighted a key safety concern: Customs and Border Patrol agents are not trained for civilian crowd management or de-escalation, increasing the risk of harm during protests.
She confirmed that Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez had declined an ICE request for Alameda deputies to assist with perimeter security during the operation, adding, “We are grateful for that.”
Despite reports that federal operations had been called off, Ashcraft cautioned, “I’m not breathing a sigh of relief yet.” She said she was in ongoing communication with local and regional officials to verify whether federal agents were leaving or simply repositioning elsewhere in the Bay Area.
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen.
