South Bay leaders prepare as fears loom over possible ICE presence at Super Bowl 60

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta are encouraging state and local law enforcement to investigate potential crimes involving federal agents.

It comes as leaders in the South Bay prepare for the possibility of ICE showing up at the Super Bowl, something that the Department of Homeland Security promised months ago.

Santa Clara Police Chief Cory Morgan addressed the community on Tuesday amid fears over potential immigration enforcement at the Super Bowl.

"As a matter of practice, we do not confirm, deny or speculate about the presence or activities of other agencies," he said.

Months ago, the Trump administration said ICE agents would be on the ground in Santa Clara. It's a possibility that South Bay leaders have been preparing for.

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San Jose's mayor says as of Tuesday, the city has not heard of such a plan.

In a statement, Mayor Matt Mahan wrote in part: "The City was informed by a federal agency that they have no indication a surge in immigration enforcement will happen during the Super Bowl in San Jose."

City and county leaders have been preparing anyway.

"We've introduced policies like ICE-free zones, which will allow the city of San Jose to sue the federal government to ban them from accessing and commandeering open public lands," said San Jose City Councilmember Peter Ortiz.

But given that Super Bowl is a ticketed event and community leaders have been warning people to stay away, how likely is an ICE operation at the Super Bowl?

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We asked Christian Arana of Latino Community Foundation.

"If anything, this is all for show. And it remains to be seen what their mission is at the Super Bowl," Arana said.

Otto Lee, the president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, also questions what agents would do in Santa Clara.

He said the board has spent countless hours preparing for the big game, working to ensure everyone's safety.

"ICE, you can come, but you're not going to find much here," Lee said.

Even if nothing materializes, some local leaders say the fear that's being instilled in many communities will be hard to erase. They want those folks to know South Bay officials have their backs.

"This isn't immigration enforcement. Barack Obama deported many people. Biden deported many people. They didn't have to do this level of terror," Ortiz said.