You must use the dbSeeChanges option with OpenRecordset when accessing a sql server

Public Sub clearFilterForBucket(bucket_name As String, filter_id As Integer)
  CurrentDb.Execute ("delete from filter_actions where filter_id= " & filter_id & " AND action= '" & bucket_name & "'")
End Sub

Private Sub b_send_Click()
   Dim title_id As Integer
   Dim rstFilters As DAO.Recordset
   Dim rstPeople As DAO.Recordset
   Dim filterQry As String
   Dim answer As String
   Dim newFilter As DAO.Recordset
   Dim ctrl_bucket_name As String
   Dim maxSize As Integer
   maxSize = 100 '--how many records we can add to a filter at once
   
   If IsNull(ctrl_company_id) Then
     MsgBox ("You did not select a company")
   ElseIf IsNull(ctrl_company_titles) Then
     MsgBox ("You did not select a Title")
   ElseIf IsNull(ctrl_filtername) Then
     MsgBox ("You did not select a filter")
   Else
     Set rstPeople = [Forms]![Search_Filter_People]![filter_people_results].[Form].Recordset
     
     If rstPeople.RecordCount > maxSize Then
       MsgBox ("You are trying to add more than " & maxSize & " records to a filter. Please use a smaller data set")
     Else
       Call clearFilterForBucket("added", Forms.Search_Filter_People.Form.ctrl_filtername.Value)
       Call addPeopleToFilter(rstPeople, Forms.Search_Filter_People.Form.ctrl_filtername.Value)
     
       Me.filter_people_results.SourceObject = "filter_people_results"
       ctrl_bucket_name = "added"
     
       Me.filter_people_results.Form.RecordSource = "select (FirstName + ' ' + LastName) as fullname, * from people where EmployeeID IN ( select person_id from filter_actions where filter_id =" & ctrl_filtername & " and action='" & ctrl_bucket_name & "') order by LastCnct desc"
       Me.filter_people_results.Form.Requery
       update_bucketcounts
     End If
   End If
End Sub

Public Sub clearFilterForBucket(bucket_name As String, filter_id As Integer)
  Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
  Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("delete from filter_actions where filter_id= " & filter_id & " AND action= '" & bucket_name & "'", dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)
End Sub

Public Sub clearFilterForBucket(bucket_name As String, filter_id As Integer)
  Currentdb.Execute "delete from filter_actions where filter_id= " & filter_id & " AND action= '" & bucket_name & "'", dbSeeChanges
End Sub