Bill Would Stop Giving Federal Handouts To Cities That Obstruct Immigration Law Enforcement
Sanctuary cities bar local police from helping ICE and other federal law enforcement officials with immigration-related operations.Sanctuary cities bar local police from helping ICE and other federal law enforcement officials with immigration-related operations.Can Trump spark a seismic shift in crime-ridden blue state’s sanctuary insanity?
President Donald Trump's decisive victory in November appears to have caused a seismic shift in California's Democratic leaders' sanctuary rhetoric, clearing a path for conservative local politicians to ramp up their fight against the illegal immigration crisis.
As Americans rally behind Trump's immigration crackdown, Californians are becoming increasingly outraged by the state's existing crime surge, further worsened by sanctuary laws.
Trump and others continue to battle against those targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but Democrats like Gov. Gavin Newsom — despite his recent attempts to reinvent himself as a moderate — keep thwarting those attempts with pro-sanctuary policies.
First-of-its-kind task force
Several local leaders have seized the opportunity to right the course and address the state's illegal immigration chaos.
United States Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli announced Monday the formation of a new task force dedicated to eradicating the state's destructive sanctuary laws.
'The days of giving criminal illegal aliens a free pass are over.'
Operation Guardian Angel, a program launched May 10 alongside federal partners, aims to "neutralize California's sanctuary state policy and protect Americans from criminal illegal aliens incarcerated in county jails by issuing federal arrest warrants for them," according to a Department of Justice press release.
The task force comprises assets from multiple federal agencies, including ICE, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Border Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
RELATED: Sheriff vows to break California's sanctuary law by alerting ICE about violent illegal aliens
The press release noted that Essayli's district is home to approximately 1.5 million illegal aliens, including gang members and violent felons.
As of May 15, the program has already resulted in the arrest of 13 individuals by filing complaints and arrest warrants, allowing federal authorities to seize custody of defendants in state jails. The task force scans criminal databases every day to identify illegal aliens currently detained. An arrest warrant is then issued for those who can be transferred to DOJ custody for illegal re-entry before they are released from local jails.
Essayli slammed California's sanctuary laws for releasing "even the worst criminal aliens" back onto the street.
"These laws effectively render federal immigration detainers meaningless," he stated. "The days of giving criminal illegal aliens a free pass are over. While California may be presently disregarding detainers, it cannot ignore federal arrest warrants."
Essayli said in a statement to Fox News that the state's sanctuary laws "made it almost impossible for ICE to do their job, issue detainers, and get criminal illegal immigrants out of jails."
He declared, "We're going to flood the system with warrants for criminal illegal immigration that are in county jails, they can ignore a detainer, but they cannot ignore a criminal arrest warrant."
Essayli referred to California as the "testing ground" for the groundbreaking new program that could be implemented in other sanctuary jurisdictions.
He noted that he does not expect resistance from local authorities.
"They have no choice, they will comply. And if they don't comply, if they interfere in our ability to arrest a federal felon, they can expect to face consequences for that," Essayli added to Fox.
Jessica Vaughan, the director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, told Blaze News that federal judges' criminal arrest warrants "cannot be ignored" and "are exempt from the sanctuary policies."
While Vaughan stated that she has not seen any indication that local politicians are shifting their stance on sanctuary policies, she highlighted efforts to arrest illegal aliens who were previously deported.
"ICE has taken steps to make it easier for California law enforcement agencies, most of whom have always supported cooperation with ICE, to transfer custody of certain illegal aliens who have been arrested that ICE is seeking to remove," she explained. "I'm sure most of the sheriffs and police chiefs will be fine with this arrangement."
When reached for comment, Essayli's office referred Blaze News to the previous statement in the press release and those provided to Fox News.
Local law enforcement digs in
Some of California's local law enforcement leaders have also led the charge against the sanctuary policies.
San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez came under fire late last year when she stated that her office would not comply with the San Diego County Board's decision to pass its own sanctuary measure, in addition to the state's existing policies.
Martinez's office previously told Blaze News that it would not be "expanding or changing anything we have been doing."
"We will continue to follow state law and maintain the way we have been operating for several years. The Board Action sought to impose restrictions well beyond those already provided for in-state law regarding how local law enforcement can work with immigration officials," the sheriff's office said.
However, Martinez's office stopped short of rejecting all sanctuary policies, instead stating that the "current state law strikes the right balance between limiting local law enforcement's cooperation with immigration authorities, ensuring public safety, and building community trust."
While Martinez's office has stood behind California's sanctuary laws, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a 2026 gubernatorial candidate, has come out in full force against the state, becoming the first and only sheriff to join Huntington Beach's lawsuit against California, Newsom, and Attorney General Robert Bonta.
In January, the city council members declared Huntington Beach a "non-sanctuary city," then later filed a lawsuit claiming the state's laws "drastically limit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement authorities, shield illegal aliens, and threaten public safety."
Bianco told the Desert Sun, "Local law enforcement has not and does not enforce immigration law."
He argued that California's sanctuary policy "was only designed to protect criminals in jail from being deported."
RELATED: The Trump effect? Newsom pledges to veto Dem bill that would expand protections for illegal aliens
Vaughan told Blaze News that California sheriffs resisting local politicians' efforts to impose stricter sanctuary laws "should feel a bit safer doing this knowing that the Trump administration will support them."
'This is a battle that needs to be fought, both for supremacy of the federal government on immigration enforcement and for the sake of public safety.'
In response to the lawsuit, Bonta's office previously told Fox News Digital, "The Attorney General is committed to protecting and ensuring the rights of California's immigrant communities and upholding vital laws like SB 54, which ensure that state and local resources go toward fighting crime in California communities, not toward federal immigration enforcement."
"Our office successfully fought back against a challenge to SB 54 by the first Trump administration, and we are prepared to vigorously defend SB 54 again," the statement added.
Bianco's office did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
Recalls and electoral shifts
California locals' frustration with Democratic policies appeared to reach a tipping point late last year when several recall efforts successfully booted radical leftists.
In Alameda County, an area so devastated by crime that numerous businesses fled, voters removed two George Soros-backed politicians: then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao (D) and then-Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price (D).
A similar situation played out in Los Angeles County.
After weathering failed recall efforts, former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón suffered a blistering loss in his November re-election bid.
The progressive DA was replaced by Nathan Hochman, an Independent candidate who ran on the promise to restore safety and prioritize "protecting victims' interests."
Hochman, a former Republican, shared a post on social media on May 18 stating that "the fun is over" for illegal alien criminals.
"I am standing at the border between LA County and San Bernardino County where criminals used to enjoy crossing in the LA direction, thinking that little to no consequences would occur if they stole, robbed, and engaged in criminal conduct," he wrote.
"Times have changed!" Hochman declared. "A new DA was elected. And criminals in LA County will now be prosecuted and held fully accountable for their illegal actions."
Hochman's office did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
What's next?
While it remains uncertain whether the quieted pro-sanctuary rhetoric during Trump's second term, coupled with mounting frustrations over surging crime, will ultimately eradicate sanctuary policies, it offers California's dissenting local leaders with a rare opportunity they will either seize or risk losing through inaction.
"The real test will be when the Trump administration begins imposing penalties on California, such as denying certain funding, and possibly takes legal action to challenge some of the more egregious local policies," Vaughan stated.
"This is a battle that needs to be fought, both for supremacy of the federal government on immigration enforcement and for the sake of public safety," she remarked.
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'Don't Mass up New Hampshire': NH takes critical step to avoid fate of neighboring sanctuary cesspools
Sanctuary jurisdictions have sprouted up in many areas around the nation and, in many cases, created an undesired spillover effect for neighboring communities that reject such policies.
New Hampshire has grappled with this issue due to Democratic leaders in Massachusetts implementing measures to shield illegal aliens, including criminals, from federal immigration authorities.
'I'm very glad to see New Hampshire setting the standard for the rest of New England.'
Massachusetts' shelter system became overrun and a hotspot for criminal activity amid the Biden administration's illegal immigration crisis. With limited shelter space available, many homeless individuals and families slept on the floor of the Boston Logan International Airport.
On Thursday, New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte (R) drew a line in the sand by signing into law House Bill 511 and Senate Bill 62, which place a ban on sanctuary cities and support cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration enforcement.
Ayotte channeled her former campaign slogan, "Don't Mass up New Hampshire," in a statement regarding the new law.
"I said from the beginning that we won't let our state go the way of Massachusetts and their billion-dollar illegal immigrant crisis," Ayotte stated on Thursday. "Today, we're delivering on our promise by banning sanctuary cities and supporting law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. New Hampshire will never be a sanctuary for criminals, and we will keep working every day to remain the safest state in the nation."
Ayotte told Fox News Digital, "New Hampshire is ranked the safest state in the nation, and I was glad I was able to sign the bill banning sanctuary cities to make sure we remain that way."
Thursday's action made New Hampshire the first state in New England to ban sanctuary jurisdictions.
Blaze News asked New Hampshire state Rep. Mike Belcher (R) for his reaction to the new law.
"I'm very glad to see New Hampshire setting the standard for the rest of New England. It's only a shame that we can't keep them [sanctuary cities] out of the rest of New England. So it's going to continue impacting us, but it's a start," Belcher said.
"We need to take a hard look at what is legitimate asylum and what is not, and maintain an America First policy," he continued. "I think as long as the federal government is properly enforcing good law, we should do everything we can to assist with that. Where they fail to do so, the states should pick it up and do it on their own because we have the right to do that as well."
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Trump Doesn’t Need Maduro’s Cooperation To Deport Venezuelan Migrants
Most of the Venezuelans who illegally crossed the U.S. southern border were living in 20 other peaceful countries for years beforehand.Sanctuary cities that keep illegal alien criminals on the streets will soon be a thing of the past, Trump promises
During a women’s town hall with Fox News’ Harris Faulkner on Tuesday, Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump made a vow to voters that he plans to “immediately” end sanctuary jurisdictions if he secures a victory in the upcoming November election.
Nancy, a woman in the audience, explained to Trump that her son was on the University of Georgia’s campus the day 22-year-old Laken Riley, a nursing student, was murdered while out on a jog. The man charged with Riley’s brutal slaying is 26-year-old Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national in the U.S. illegally and a suspected member of the vicious transnational gang Tren de Aragua.
'We’re going to have law and order.'
Nancy proceeded to ask Trump, “I wanted to know, how quickly in a sanctuary city like they’re calling Athens, Georgia — how quickly can you remove those threats to our societies so that our children can go out on a run, as they rightfully should be able to do in a park in the daytime by themselves?”
Trump responded, “First of all, we are going to end all sanctuary cities immediately.”
Faulkner asked Trump whether he would accomplish that via executive order.
“I could do it with an executive order; I’ll have to do it with an executive order. You can do it with the Aliens Act of 1798,” he responded.
The Alien Act, which was passed in 1798 by the Federalist-controlled Congress, authorizes the sitting president to deport non-citizens.
“We can do things in terms of moving people out. We can move them out of the sanctuary cities,” Trump continued.
“Normally, you like to understand the opponent,” he added. “Why do they want open borders? Why do they want to do this? Why do they want sanctuary cities?”
Trump declared that sanctuary cities are meant to protect only criminals.
“We’re going to end all sanctuary cities in the United States, and we’re going to go back to normalcy. And we’re going to have law and order,” he stated.
Trump stated that his administration would prioritize reinvigorating law enforcement officers who have been slowed down and even prevented from doing their jobs under the Biden-Harris administration.
“They want to do their job. We’re going to let them do their job,” Trump added. “I’m going to give them immunity. We’re going to protect them.”
“You look at New York, and Chicago, and L.A., and every city all run by Democrats,” he continued. “Liberal, stupid Democrats.”
“Our country has lost its way,” Trump concluded.
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Laken Hope Riley’s Murder Outs Georgia As Largely A Sanctuary State
Many local officials contribute to Georgia’s illegal immigration by declaring an illegal sanctuary policy.NYC mayor admits his invitation to house illegal aliens at Gracie Mansion was purely symbolic
Mayor Eric Adams has confirmed for New Yorkers that some Democratic promises may be better understood as expressions of sentiment rather than intent.
Adams indicated on June 6 that he would happy to house a handful of the nearly 80,000 illegal aliens who took advantage of his sanctuary city invitation at Gracie Mansion, the five-bedroom estate he occupies on East 88th Street, reported the New York Post.
"I am a big believer in leading from the front," said the mayor.
By sharing his luxury views of the East River with foreign nationals, Adams would also be sharing in the burden with which he saddled hotels, school gymnasiums, and 50 houses of worship around the city.
Adams qualified his statement, saying, "If it doesn’t go against legal protocols — there are protocols in place, so I can’t use the building in any way I want — but I don’t have a problem if I could put a migrant family in Gracie Mansion."
The offer came just weeks after parents, furious over the invasion of their children's schools by illegal aliens, pressed him to do so.
"I say to the mayor, 'Open up Gracie Mansion, and allow the migrants to have a shower and hot meal,'" Mayra Ducos, 42, told the Post outside her children's Williamsburg school. "'You have 22,000 square feet, let them seek refuge at your home.' I bet he has a good stove to cook the migrants a hot meal."
Adams revealed Thursday that when it comes to leading from the front, a believer is all he is.
"'I think leading the challenge of the migrant problem is both substantive and symbolic, and as I always said, 'Good generals lead from the front,'" said Adams. "They don't send their troops into battle and ask, 'How was the war?' They lead them into battle."
"The symbolism of saying, 'I'm willing to put a homeless family in Gracie' is that symbolism," added the mayor.
The self-described "general" noted that "legal issues" prevented him from following through on what he expects other New Yorkers with spare rooms to do.
"We are never going to break the law. And so, we'd be able to know what we can’t do and what we can't do as a symbolism of saying, 'I’m willing to open up the people’s house to the people of the city,'" said Adams.
NYC has sued at least 30 counties in the state for issuing emergency executive orders prohibiting hotels from hosting illegals bused in by Adams, reported the Daily Caller.
While Adams pleaded with a judge last month to "revisit" the city's sanctuary city law, noting, "We have reached our limit," he has yet to clarify whether his 2021 vow to protect illegal aliens from deportation was similarly symbolic.
TheBlaze previously reported that as of late May, the city had already spent close to $4.3 billion to deal with the migrant crisis.
The roughly 80,000 illegal aliens NYC has received is just a small fraction of the millions that have stolen into the nation since President Joe Biden took office. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, over 1.4 million entered the country between October and April; over 2.3 million entered between October 2021 and September 2022; and over 1.4 million entered between January 2021 and September 2022.
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Mayor Eric Adams pleads with judge to 'revisit' NYC's sanctuary city law amid illegal immigration surge: 'We have reached our limit'
New York City Mayor Eric Adams evidently no longer wants to be handcuffed to the Democrats' open-borders policies of yesteryear, especially not when the suburbs are pushing back.
Adams indicated that he was in court Thursday "asking the judge to revisit this law to deal with this humanitarian crisis."
The New York mayor pre-empted possible claims of hypocrisy, stressing that the "law of sanctuary city was in place" long before he took office; that "when they decided to put in place that law, no one thought that they would be dealing with a humanitarian crisis of this proportion."
\u201cMayor Eric Adams is \u201cnow in court, today, asking a judge to revisit\u201d NYC\u2019s sanctuary city law: \n\n\u201cNo one thought that they would be dealing with a humanitarian crisis of this proportion.\u201d\u201d— Charlie Kirk (@Charlie Kirk) 1684159465
Former Mayor Ed Koch signed an executive order in 1989, declaring New York a sanctuary city.
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg went much farther than Koch, signing executive orders forbidding city employers, including members of the NYPD, from asking residents about their immigration status.
As mayor, Bill de Blasio passed a sanctuary city law in October 2014 ensuring New York would remain a sanctuary for illegal aliens even if they were violent felons or on the terrorist watch list, reported the New York Post.
While Adams' assertion that the law precedes him is correct, legislators and city councilmen were long warned of the potential fallout — warnings he chose to ignore.
Adams vowed to hinder federal efforts to deport criminal noncitizens when running for office and indicated he would maintain NYC's "sanctuary city status." Adams went so far as to support legislation that would allow foreign nationals to vote in local elections.
Now, amid what Republicans recognize as an invasion, Adams is singing a different tune.
According to Adams' office, New York city has "cared for" over 61,000 migrants over the past year and is seeing roughly 500 illegal aliens pour in every day," reported CBS News. Adams reckons that number might spike to thousands of migrants entering daily.
"With over 130 emergency sites and eight humanitarian relief centers already opened, we have reached our limit," said a spokesman for the mayor.
Whereas before, Adams figured he could displace his problem, rerouting illegal aliens he previously welcomed to the suburbs, various New York counties have declared states of emergency to prevent the sanctuary city from offloading its "humanitarian crisis."
TheBlaze previously reported that Orange County and Rockland County have declared states of emergency in advance of migrants' arrival in the respective communities.
"To have 300 people dropped on us at one time is ridiculous. There's just no way we can handle that; ... 300 people is five times what the homeless count is [currently] in Rockland County," said Rockland County Executive Ed Day (R).
Day said it was "maddening" for New York to deluge his county with illegal aliens, especially when Rockland "isn't even a sanctuary county."
Since the city can no longer bus illegal aliens into neighboring counties or even into Canada — a tactic Adams criticized Republican governors for — New York is taking over hotels and schools on the newcomers' behalf.
TheBlaze noted Monday that New York City has committed to opening its first asylum-seeker arrival center, since other hotels have been overwhelmed. The historic Roosevelt Hotel, shuttered during the COVID-19 lockdowns, will apparently do the trick.
KRCR-TV reported that the city is also preparing to shelter illegal aliens in school gymnasiums.
Adams' office released a statement, saying, "We received more than 4,200 asylum seekers last week alone and continue to receive hundreds of asylum seekers every day. We are opening emergency shelters and respite centers daily, but we are out of space. As the mayor has said, nothing is off the table as we work to fill our moral mandate, but we should all expect this crisis to affect every city service. We will continue to communicate with local elected officials as we open more emergency sites."
While critical of the influx of illegal aliens into his city, the New York mayor has previously been silent on the matter of well over 5 million illegal aliens stealing into the country since President Joe Biden took office.
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