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
California Governor Gavin Newsom. Photo by ARIANA DREHSLER/AFP via Getty Images
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
Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County. Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
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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House GOP calls 'sanctuary' governors to face oversight grilling on public safety
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) sent letters to several "sanctuary governors" on Thursday, inviting them to testify before lawmakers as part of the committee's ongoing probe into the public safety impact of sanctuary policies.
Comer requested Democratic Governors Kathy Hochul of New York, Tim Walz of Minnesota, and JB Pritzker of Illinois testify before the committee during a May 15 hearing.
'President Trump is preparing to take executive action to withhold federal funding from sanctuary states.'
The letters stated, "The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is continuing to investigate sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States and their impact on public safety and the effectiveness of federal efforts to enforce the immigration laws of the United States."
"Sanctuary jurisdictions and their obstructionist policies hinder the ability of federal law enforcement officers to effectuate safe arrests and remove dangerous criminals from American communities," it continued. "This threatens Americans' safety."
Comer requested several documents from the state leaders, including all materials and communications related to sanctuary policies.
The committee previously heard testimony in March from Democratic mayors of sanctuary cities, including Eric Adams of New York, Michelle Wu of Boston, Brandon Johnson of Chicago, and Mike Johnston of Denver.
Comer stated Thursday, "Harboring aliens is a federal crime. Sanctuary policies championed by these governors jeopardize the safety of Americans and defy U.S. immigration laws."
"President Trump is preparing to take executive action to withhold federal funding from sanctuary states," he added. "Working alongside President Trump, Congress must ensure federal immigration law is enforced and that criminal aliens are swiftly removed from our communities."
Hochul indicated that she would be willing to testify, Politico reported.
She told reporters on Thursday, "We just received notification of their interest in my opinion on state laws, which I'm happy to share with them."
"I told people like Tom Homan that I will continue doing what our practice has been from the beginning, which is to cooperate with ICE when they have a warrant or they have evidence that there's a person who's committed a serious crime," Hochul said.
According to Alex Gough, a spokesperson for Pritzker, the governor is still reviewing Comer's request for documents. He has not yet determined whether he will testify.
Gough stated, "Let's call this what this is: another partisan dog and pony show."
Teddy Tschann, a spokesperson for Walz, said, "Governor Walz is happy to work with Congress, but since Minnesota is not a sanctuary state, one can't help but wonder if this is, perhaps, politically motivated."
Meanwhile, acting U.S. District Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba announced that she is launching her own investigation into Governor Phil Murphy (D) and state attorney General Matt Platkin over New Jersey’s order prohibiting local police from cooperating with federal immigration agents.
"That will no longer stand. [U.S. Attorney General] Pam Bondi has made it clear and so has our president that we are to take all criminals, violent criminals and criminals out of this country and to completely enforce federal law," Habba told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday.
"And anybody who does get ... in the way of what we are doing — which is not political, it is simply against crime — will be charged in the state of New Jersey for obstruction, for concealment," Habba continued. "And I will come after hard."
Murphy's office and Platkin's office declined a request for comment from ABC News.
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The Trump effect? Newsom pledges to veto Dem bill that would expand protections for illegal aliens
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California has promised to veto a bill that would expand protections for illegal aliens, prompting speculation that President Donald Trump's deportation efforts are having an effect even on deep-blue states.
The issue relates to A.B. 15, a bill introduced on February 3 by state Rep. Mike Gipson of the Los Angeles area and co-sponsored by six other Democrat assemblymen. A.B. 15 would expand sanctuary laws in California to prevent state corrections officials from transferring an offender to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement or keeping an offender in custody or even sharing more information about the offender upon the request of ICE.
On Thursday, Newsom's office claimed that, should A.B. 15 ever cross his desk, he will immediately veto it, just as he vetoed a nearly identical bill that the Democratic-controlled legislature passed in 2023. When asked for comment, a spokesperson directed reporters to a statement the governor made back then.
"I believe current law strikes the right balance on limiting interaction to support community trust and cooperation between law enforcement and local communities," Newsom wrote when vetoing the 2023 measure.
"ICE will determine how it will proceed with its enforcement of federal law."
In 2017, Newsom's predecessor, Gov. Jerry Brown, signed S.B. 54, which effectively made California a "sanctuary" state, yet even Brown deliberately attempted to exclude the state prison system from being a part of it. So A.B. 15 suggests that some California Democrats are even more radical about sanctuary laws than they were just a few years ago.
'If we have undocumented immigrants who are here who are committing crimes, why should we bear the burden of that when they're not a citizen of our country?'
Newsom's promise to veto A.B. 15 is indeed unusual for the far-left governor. KCRA claimed that Newsom "typically does not comment on proposed state laws this early in the lawmaking process," while the New York Post claimed the promised veto signaled "an about-face" on his recent pledges to guard against the deportation efforts of the Trump administration.
Newsom has attempted to strike a careful balance on illegal immigration since taking office in 2019. In the years since, Newsom has helped ICE facilitate the transfer of more than 10,500 illegal aliens from his state.
However, just this month, Newsom signed bills that would designate about $50 million total for the state to use to defend immigrants against federal law enforcement under Trump. He has also been working since November to establish a statewide Immigrant Support Network that would help immigrants access public benefits and services.
Still, state Sen. Roger Niello, a Republican from Roseville, believes that the majority of Californians are on the side of greater enforcement of immigration laws, especially regarding violent or otherwise dangerous individuals.
"If we have undocumented immigrants who are here who are committing crimes, why should we bear the burden of that when they're not a citizen of our country? I think that's a fairly popular notion," Niello said.
Niello also believes that Democrats are widely out of step on the issue and hinted that Newsom would be wise to buck his party on it. "The governor realizes that popular opinion is contrary to what some people in the legislature want to do," he said.
For his part, President Trump has made deporting illegal aliens a top priority for his second term. Just this week, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Department of Justice had sued the state of New York and some high-profile New York Democrats whose "green light" laws help illegal aliens skirt federal law enforcement.
"New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens," she said at a press conference on Wednesday. "It stops. It stops today."
Though she did not mention California specifically, Bondi did warn other blue cities and states such as Chicago, Illinois, that they will face similar litigation if they fail to cooperate. "If you are a state not complying with federal law, you're next. Get ready!" she said.
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FEMA agents get pink slips after bankrolling NYC hotel stays for illegal aliens with taxpayer cash
President Donald Trump continues to make good on his years-long pledge to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C., now that the Department of Homeland Security has fired several FEMA agents associated with "egregious" payments to New York City hotels that house illegal aliens.
On Monday, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency made a bombshell allegation that just last week, FEMA sent a staggering $59 million to "luxury hotels in New York City" for the purposes of housing illegal aliens.
'These funds have been misappropriated, going back to the Biden administration, and New York City, a sanctuary city, has been wasting billions ... [on] illegal immigrants, including criminal aliens.'
"Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order. That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high end hotels for illegals!" Musk wrote.
Musk added that a "clawback demand" would be made to recoup the money.
In response, acting FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton assured Musk and the American public that the payments had been suspended and that the persons who authorized them would be "held accountable."
Now, barely 24 hours since Musk's initial tweet, the DHS has already axed four FEMA officials associated with those payments.
"Four employees are being fired today for circumventing leadership and unilaterally making the egregious payment for hotels for migrants in New York City," the DHS said in a statement to Fox News on Tuesday.
Republican New York Congressman Mike Lawler claimed these firings were "long overdue."
"These funds have been misappropriated, going back to the Biden administration, and New York City, a sanctuary city, has been wasting billions of dollars of taxpayer money — billions with a 'B' — to provide free housing, clothing, food, education, and health care to illegal immigrants, including criminal aliens that are here," Lawler told Brian Kilmeade of Fox News.
"I applaud, frankly, DHS for taking action to stop these payments under President Trump's leadership because we had incentivized cities like New York and states like New York, a sanctuary state, to allow this to continue," he added. "And it has to stop."
Lawler further noted that Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul had lately allocated "billions of dollars of state taxpayer money" for illegal aliens, even as she suddenly began charging citizens and legal residents an expensive toll to enter particularly congested areas of NYC.
"She's fleecing hard-working New Yorkers $2,500 just for the privilege of driving to work, [which] speaks volumes to how inept, incompetent, and corrupt New York has become under feckless leadership," Lawler said.
FEMA did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
While NYC officials did not dispute receiving federal funds for migrant costs, they did take issue with the specifics of some of Musk's and Hamilton's assertions.
For one thing, they said that they had not received word about any suspended funding, let alone a "clawback demand."
Additionally, while Mayor Eric Adams' office confirmed that the city had received two federal payments last week totaling $81 million — including one payment of $59 million — the office insisted only $19 million of that was earmarked for migrant housing costs.
"We have already spent over $7 billion on this crisis alone, and the previous administration committed only $237 million in funding to help house the migrants in our care and for future services," said a statement from City Hall.
"We have continued to receive previously allocated reimbursements through the past week. We will discuss this matter directly with federal officials."
Media outlets also seemed to make excuses for the outrageous use of taxpayer dollars. ABC News shrugged its shoulders that a right-to-shelter law compels the state to house illegal aliens. The outlet neglected to mention that state and city officials consented to the right-to-shelter law in the first place and effectively reaffirmed it via settlement as recently as last year.
The outlet further stated matter-of-factly that New York City has "historically housed homeless people in hotels," as though providing shelter for hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens were common practice.
The New York Post also claimed that "many of Musk’s claims" about FEMA and the NYC hotels housing illegal aliens "couldn’t immediately be confirmed." The Post suggested that Musk may have assumed FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program — authorized by Congress to reimburse for migrant-related expenses — was diverting money from disaster relief funds, which are technically separate.
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Blaze News original: American hiker shot by 'suspected cartel terrorists' highlights chaos under sanctuary laws
A group of "suspected cartel terrorists" shot an American hiker last week in California near one of the most heavily trafficked border crossings in the nation.
According to Customs and Border Protection, the agency was notified by the Imperial County Sheriff's Office about the ruthless attack around 11:00 a.m. on January 22.
'Yet another alarming example of the chaos at our southern border.'
CBP encountered the group approximately 1,000 feet north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector officials posted a video on social media, showing agents carrying the injured hiker to a helicopter. The victim, who sustained two gunshot wounds to his leg, was airlifted to a nearby hospital to receive treatment.
— (@)
Border Patrol referred to the incident as an "attack on [a] U.S. citizen by suspected cartel terrorists."
"A group of U.S. citizens hiking in the Jacumba Wilderness in California was brutally attacked and strafed with gunfire by suspect cartel members in El Centro Sector's area of responsibility," Border Patrol's post read. "One victim was shot twice and robbed."
"These cartels think they can bring their war to American soil," the statement continued. "Let this serve as a WARNING: The El Centro Sector will not stand idly by. The safety of our citizens is NOT negotiable; cartel terrorists have no place in our country preying on the innocent. Enough is enough."
The post noted that the Border Patrol's Mobile Response Team, Tactical Unit, and Search, Trauma, and Rescue "were dispatched to the area to rescue the hikers, evacuate them, and neutralize any threats."
'How many more Americans have to be shot, trafficked, or killed before action is taken?'
"The American people will not retreat from this kind of terror," the Border Patrol's post concluded.
A Canadian citizen who was hiking with the group was shot at and robbed during the attack, according to a CBP press release. The individual was not wounded.
"He was here legally, visiting and out for a hike with his friends," a post from the El Centro Sector read. "He was shot at (uninjured) and later robbed after bravely staying at his wounded friend's side."
The assailants took the men's cell phones and backpacks.
El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino said, "The wounded hiker is an 'I told you so moment' highlighting the importance of adequate infrastructure the Border Patrol has been championing for years now."
"Suspected cartel terrorists, however, are fixing to learn this type of conduct will be an end game type of activity here in the Premier Sector. All threats, anywhere, or at any time throughout this sector will be addressed vigorously," Bovino added.
According to NewsNation's Ali Bradley, the group of approximately 10 was reportedly walking at the Valley of the Moon, a hiking area in Jacumba Hot Springs. The trailhead is located in San Diego County, and the path extends into Imperial County.
"The hikers said the bandits were armed and were talking to them, but the hikers couldn't understand Spanish so the bandits started shooting into the air and then fired shots at the group, hitting the man in the leg," Bradley wrote in a post on X.
The suspects reportedly escaped Border Patrol agents, fleeing back to Mexico.
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond told Blaze News that the violent attack was "yet another alarming example of the chaos at our southern border."
"When cartels and border bandits feel emboldened to cross into our country, attack innocent civilians, and retreat back into Mexico without consequence, it's clear that we do not have operational control of our border," Desmond stated. "American citizens should not have to fear for their lives while hiking in their own country."
"Our Border Patrol agents do an incredible job with the resources they have, but it's not enough," he continued. "The cartels are exploiting our open border and operating with near impunity. Until the border is fully secured, we need the National Guard and military stationed there to stop these violent criminals from preying on innocent people."
"How many more Americans have to be shot, trafficked, or killed before action is taken?" Desmond questioned.
Cory Gautereaux, a San Diego resident and the founder of the Goat Initiative, an organization dedicated to combatting human trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border, told Blaze News that the hiking area where the incident occurred is "extremely remote."
"It used to be a very popular off-road, hiking, climbing area but not much in the last two to three years," he noted.
Gautereaux stated that he is "extremely happy to see 'the boys go to work.'"
"Meaning, we have had these specialized Border Patrol teams neutered by the last admin. It took a matter of days to show how fast they can react and what they are capable of once you let them loose," he said of the Border Patrol's emergency response teams.
Imperial County informed Blaze News that the "case is currently under the jurisdiction of the FBI," directing any questions to the federal agency.
'Are we trying to protect criminals or residents?'
When asked whether the incident is currently under investigation, FBI San Diego stated, "Based on longstanding DOJ policy, we cannot confirm or deny the existence of an investigation."
The agency also did not address whether the suspects were confirmed cartel terrorists.
California suburbs push back against liberal sanctuary policies
Officials in El Cajon, a city within San Diego County, moved to reject the state's and the county's sanctuary policies.
On January 28, Mayor Bill Wells introduced a resolution "to support federal deportation efforts for criminals, ensuring that those who break our laws and threaten our families are held accountable," according to an email statement sent to Blaze News.
The city council's agenda stated that the resolution aimed to provide clarity regarding the inconsistencies between state and federal immigration laws. It further declared El Cajon's "intent to ensure the public safety of all residents" and "intent to comply with federal immigration law to the legal extent permissible under SB 54 and other applicable laws to remove violent criminals from our community."
California's Senate Bill 54, signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown (D) in 2017, prohibits local officials from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
On Tuesday, El Cajon residents packed the city council meeting to voice their opinions on the mayor's resolution. The heated debate lasted five hours with more than 80 residents requesting to speak on the matter.
Gautereaux addressed the city council, asking, "Are we trying to protect criminals or residents?"
"Two weeks ago, I had a very informative, private dinner with Tom Homan. I will tell that he's coming. He's coming here to El Cajon," he said. "He knows how everyone's going to vote today. Let's make sure we do it right so when he comes to town, we can work with him and get the violent people out of this city."
Residents against the resolution argued that such a policy was inherently racist and discriminatory. Several residents, particularly those of color, claimed that with the Trump administration promising mass deportations, they felt forced to carry around documents proving their American citizenship.
One woman stated she told her father "to carry around his birth certificate because of potential deportation due to misguided profiling."
"I had to tell my mother to carry her naturalization papers," she added. "Why do I have to carry around my own birth certificate? I was born here."
"We're already scared to call the cops. Now, we're definitely not going to," she added.
The city's decision to consider the resolution followed a December determination by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to adopt a measure that effectively doubled down on the county's sanctuary status. The only dissenting vote was made by Supervisor Desmond, who opposed the county's "super" sanctuary status.
'The intent of this resolution is to deliberately sidestep the governor's efforts.'
Regarding his proposed resolution, Wells said, "For too long, California's Sanctuary State policies have protected illegal criminals at the expense of law-abiding citizens. These policies prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with federal authorities, allowing dangerous individuals to remain in our community and country. That must change."
"After meeting with border czar Tom Homan, it is clear that we must take action at the local level. I am proposing that our city will work with — not against — federal immigration enforcement to ensure that criminals who pose a risk to our residents are removed," he added.
On Tuesday evening, the El Cajon City Council voted 3-2 to reject Wells' resolution.
City council member Steve Goble, the swing vote, argued that he did not want El Cajon to become the center of political controversy like Huntington Beach.
Approximately 100 miles north in Orange County, city council members in Huntington Beach unanimously voted earlier this month to declare the Los Angeles suburb a "non-sanctuary city."
Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns stated that the resolution was "in the best interest of our community."
"The intent of this resolution is to deliberately sidestep the governor's [Gavin Newsom] efforts to subvert the good work of federal immigration authorities and to announce the city's cooperation with the federal government, the Trump administration, and border czar Tom Homan's work," the city's resolution read.
Further, Burns filed a lawsuit against California's SB 54, claiming that it "not only limits the ability of city officials ... to engage in fullest of effective law enforcement practices, but it directs city officials ... to violate U.S. federal immigration laws."
Trump admin moves to stop invasion
On Inauguration Day, just days before the attack on the group of hikers, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating cartels "as foreign terrorist organizations."
The executive action read, "The cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western hemisphere that has not only destabilized countries with significant importance for our national interests but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs."
"The cartels functionally control, through a campaign of assassination, terror, rape, and brute force nearly all illegal traffic across the southern border of the United States," it continued. "In certain portions of Mexico, they function as quasi-governmental entities, controlling nearly all aspects of society. The cartels' activities threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western hemisphere. Their activities, proximity to, and incursions into the physical territory of the United States pose an unacceptable national security risk to the United States."
Also, as part of his day-one actions, the president declared the overwhelming number of illegal entries a national emergency in keeping with his promise to move swiftly to close down the southern border.
"Cartels control vast territories just south of our southern border, effectively controlling who can and cannot travel to the United States from Mexico," the order stated.
Just three days into his presidency, Trump signed another executive order to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist Border Patrol agents with cracking down on illegal crossings.
The administration stated that the directive would deploy 1,000 Army personnel and 500 Marines to the southern border of California and Texas. The soldiers will be tasked with erecting border barriers to deter illegal entries.
There are already 2,500 soldiers stationed at the border.
An internal government memo obtained by CBS News revealed that the administration is weighing sending up to 10,000 active-duty military members.
Military personnel are not tasked with direct immigration enforcement; instead, they provide CBP with other assistance, which can include detection and monitoring, logistics, administrative, and mechanical support.
The document obtained by CBS News further stated that the Trump administration's Department of Defense "may" convert its bases into "holding facilities."
Trump has reportedly already successfully reduced the number of border crossings. On Sunday, bored encounters reached less than 600 people, with no sector experiencing more than 200, Fox News reported. For comparison, under former President Joe Biden, daily encounter peaks reached 11,000. Even in the final days of Biden's presidency, there were 1,200 to 1,400 daily.
Border czar Tom Homan has expressed a need for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to drastically increase the number of detention beds. ICE currently has 34,000 beds, but Homan hopes to secure at least 100,000.
The internal government memo stated that ICE has requested 14 new detention facilities with 1,000 beds each and four additional holding centers with 10,000 beds each.
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Blaze News original: Inside Massachusetts migrant shelters where crime flourishes under Democrats' watch
Massachusetts' sanctuary laws have allowed the state's shelters to devolve into a breeding ground for criminal activity, all while taxpayers foot the $1 billion bill.
Democratic leaders have long since claimed that sanctuary policies, which prevent local law enforcement agencies from coordinating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, protect foreign nationals who are contributing members of the community.
While illegal aliens were promised a sanctuary, a new report from the Boston Herald revealed that the situation in Massachusetts' state-run emergency shelters has turned into more of a nightmare.
‘I had three women tell me they were raped by residents of the shelter.’
A stack of incident reports obtained by the news outlet through a public records request showed that the state's sanctuary policies are failing not only American citizens but also the illegal aliens they supposedly protect.
Optics over outcomes
Governor Maura Healey (D) has faced repeated criticism for her handling of the immigration crisis since she was sworn in to office in 2023.
In November, following President-elect Donald Trump's election victory, Healey dug in her heels on immigration, emphatically vowing to use "every tool in the toolbox" to "protect" illegal aliens from the incoming administration's mass deportation efforts. She insisted that her state police would "absolutely not" be cooperating with Trump's ICE agents.
Healey's post-election statements, up until that point, aligned with her long-standing support for the state's sanctuary laws.
However, within the same month, she announced plans to slash state-run shelter costs and shorten stay limits for families with children. Her administration stated that it would begin phasing out the use of hotels and motels to house individuals amid the ongoing immigration crisis.
Just one month later, Healey appeared to try to distance herself from — or at the very least backpedal on her support for — sanctuary policies.
In two separate back-to-back interviews, she insisted that Massachusetts was "not a sanctuary state."
Healey's claims seem far from reality, considering that Massachusetts does not obey ICE detainer requests and it is the nation's only right-to-shelter state, requiring it to provide housing to all pregnant women and families with children under 21 years old. Such shelter guarantees have been extended to illegal aliens under the Healey administration.
Furthermore, the right-to-shelter law does not just require Massachusetts to provide shelter but explicitly demands that the taxpayer-funded accommodations include refrigeration and basic cooking facilities. Some of the emergency shelter locations, such as hotels and motels, lack these amenities, requiring the state to expend further resources to pay vendors to deliver food to illegal alien residents.
Healey told the Boston Herald in December that the state's "emergency shelter system really was meant for Massachusetts families who were experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity and needed a place to go that was temporary."
She also claimed that "violent criminals should be deported if they're not here lawfully," calling for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to work together to remove such threats from the community.
Healey further stated that she hoped Trump would strengthen the border and that the two could find common ground on the immigration crisis.
When sanctuary stories don't align
While the governor stated one thing, ICE and local reports shed light on a different reality.
Despite Healey's claims that Massachusetts is not a sanctuary for illegal aliens, ICE released a report in August declaring that the Plymouth County Superior Court of Brockton ignored its detainer request, releasing a foreign national on a $500 bond after he had been arrested for aggravated rape of a child. The alleged crime reportedly took place in the Rockland shelter, where the victim, a 15-year-old girl, was residing.
After his release, ICE located and arrested Cory Bernard Alvarez, a 26-year-old Haitian national, near his residence in Brockton. Alvarez was allowed into the country through the Biden administration's CHNV program, which allowed the entry of 30,000 individuals monthly from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
The federal immigration agency similarly reported that Dorchester District Court also ignored one of its detainer requests, releasing an illegal alien who had been accused of kidnapping and attempted rape.
Emilio Jose Pena-Casilla, a 46-year-old Dominican national, was charged in Massachusetts with "assault to rape, kidnapping, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older, and intimidating a witness/juror/police/court official," according to ICE.
Despite the lengthy list of alleged heinous offenses, he was released on bail with a GPS tracker the day after ICE sent its detainer request.
Fortunately, ICE agents were able to apprehend the suspect without Massachusetts' cooperation, and he remains in federal immigration custody.
In late December, the Revere Police Department arrested Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a 28-year-old Dominican national who had entered the country illegally.
Sanchez was apprehended at a Quality Inn in Revere, one of the 128 hotels in Massachusetts functioning as an emergency shelter.
According to authorities, Sanchez had a loaded AR-15 and roughly 10 pounds of fentanyl in his possession.
Healey has claimed that those residing in state-run shelters are subject to background checks, prompting the Massachusetts House Republican Caucus to question how Sanchez was allowed into the Quality Inn.
‘She is 100% lying about that.’
The governor claimed that Sanchez had not applied for the state's emergency assistance program but was residing in the shelter with a family unit.
Last week, ICE lodged a detainer request against Sanchez. At this time, he is in state custody, and it remains to be seen whether local officials will comply with the request and turn him over to federal agents.
Sanchez's arrest drew national attention, which may have prompted Healey to announce that the state would perform sweeps of its shelter units, beginning with the Revere location.
Healey deflected any blame for the situation, instead pointing fingers at the Biden administration for the ongoing immigration crisis and its overwhelming financial burden on Massachusetts residents.
Inside Healey's shelters
More than 1,000 incidents were reported at Massachusetts' state-run shelters from 2022 through 2024, according to records obtained by the Boston Herald and reviewed by Blaze News.
The more than 3,000 pages of incident reports detailed a long list of alleged offenses, including death threats, theft, assault, drugs, and rape.
One of the most alarming reports detailed allegations that a father residing in one of the state-run shelters had raped his minor daughter "multiple times, both on the journey to the U.S. and in the U.S.," resulting in her pregnancy.
At the time, Jon Fetherston was the former director of the migrant shelter, a Holiday Inn, and he was the one who reported the father to authorities.
‘Nobody was being screened.’
Fetherston told Blaze News, "I saw domestic violence. I saw gang violence. I had three women tell me they were raped by residents of the shelter. Two, I personally took to the police station, and a third, I had Department of Children and Families remove her from the shelter because she was raped by her own father, who got her pregnant."
The father became "very agitated and started yelling at" staff when his daughter was removed from his custody, according to an incident report. He was ejected from the shelter and offered a taxpayer-funded ride to another shelter location, which also housed women.
Fetherston explained that the "big issue" with the shelter was that he was not provided with the resources necessary to manage safety. He stated that the shelter had third-party security but that the security company struggled with staffing issues and the personnel were not always qualified.
He noted that the criminal activity he witnessed at the shelter spilled into the community.
When asked about Healey's claims that all those residing in the shelters are vetted, Fetherston told Blaze News, "She is 100% lying about that."
He stated there were "numerous" occasions when families scheduled to arrive at his facility for shelter accommodations never showed up. The state told Fetherston not to "worry about it" and that a new family would be sent to the shelter the same day, he said.
"Another family would show up and tell me their name, and their name would be different than the IDs that they presented me. So, no, nobody was being vetted. Nobody was being screened," Fetherston said.
He called the current shelter system "pure chaos," adding that the state needs to implement proper vetting procedures.
Fetherston questioned whether Healey's shelter sweeps were actually happening.
"I'll believe it when I see it, because I don't think it's going to happen. I think she's just placating the public with that," he said. "Her words and her actions do not match."
"There's 3,000 pages worth of documents of heinous crimes — sexual abuse, rape, drugs — and you're allowing it," Fetherston said, referring to Healey. "But, more importantly, you're making the taxpayer fund this."
The state's taxpayers spent about $1 billion last year supporting the costly shelter system. Following the announcement of the inspections, Healey requested another $425 million from the state's reserve account to keep its emergency shelter program operating for another six months.
"Maura Healey has decided to protect criminals over the safety and welfare of women and children in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She's put every woman and child in the state in jeopardy, because we don't know who these people are," Fetherston added. "Eventually, something horrible is going to happen."
"Shame on the governor," he remarked.
Fetherston told Blaze News that he had a brief conversation with Healey in December 2023 during the Army-Navy football game at Gillette Stadium, where he expressed his concerns to her about shelter safety. He said Healey instructed him to contact her office for further discussion. However, after he reached out several times in the following weeks, Healey's office never returned his calls.
‘We are going to get to the bottom of why that wasn't happening.’
Paul Craney of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance called Healey's "failure to ensure" safety at the state's shelters "a shocking betrayal of both the residents relying on these facilities and the taxpayers funding them."
Craney told Blaze News, "The Massachusetts right-to-shelter law was originally passed to ensure that the indigent poor of the Commonwealth wouldn't be left out in the cold, not to act as a clearing house for incoming migrants. Instead of being safe havens for people in trouble, these shelters are now hot spots for criminal activity and danger."
"It's unacceptable that it took years of disturbing incidents, including theft, assaults, and even sexual assault, to prompt action," he continued. "Governor Healey can order all of the sweeps and background checks she wants, but when it boils right down to it, we have no idea who the people crossing the border really are."
Craney questioned how the state could run proper, thorough background checks when some individuals have provided false names.
"Massachusetts families deserve better than an administration that prioritizes excuses over solutions. Governor Healey needs to stop the blame game and reform the generous benefits and sanctuary state policies that are pulling so many illegal migrants towards the Massachusetts shelter system," he remarked.
From bad to worse
In the wake of the release of the shelter incident reports and Sanchez's arrest, Healey made an alarming confession.
After repeatedly claiming that those residing in state-run shelters must undergo background checks, she stated on January 10 that she had recently learned Criminal Offender Record Information checks had not always been conducted.
"We are going to get to the bottom of why that wasn't happening," Healey stated. "CORI checks were being performed at those temporary respite centers, the overflow sites where new arrivals were going, and it was my understanding that they were being conducted system-wide."
The massive oversight prompted Healey to tap former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to conduct an independent investigation into the matter, as well as provide recommendations on how the state could improve its security protocols.
A spokesperson for Healey's office told Blaze News, "As a former attorney general and prosecutor, the governor has no tolerance for any criminal activity at these facilities. It's why our administration has taken a number of actions to protect safety in our communities."
The governor's office noted that shelter providers are required to report criminal activity, and "every shelter resident is already subjected to background checks, including SORI [Sex Offender Registry Information] checks and a [sic] warrant checks."
The spokesperson noted that CORI checks were previously only required for those entering the state's overflow sites but that Healey extended the requirement to all shelters.
The state's inspection of its shelters is "almost complete," the spokesperson told Blaze News.
"We will be phasing out the use of hotel shelters by the end of 2025," the statement continued. "And for the more than 6,000 residents who we have helped get work authorizations, every one of them is required to undergo additional vetting including fingerprinting."
"In the instance of violations of shelter policy, residents are disciplined, including up to removal from the program. Incidents that allege criminal conduct are referred to law enforcement," the spokesperson told Blaze News.
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Woke Oregon AG does her best to help illegal aliens dodge ICE
The far-left attorney general in Oregon has taken further steps to keep illegal aliens in her state, releasing a "toolkit" to educate them about state sanctuary laws as a second Trump administration looms.
Last week, Ellen Rosenblum, a Democrat, unveiled the Civil Rights Unit Sanctuary Promise Community Toolkit, a comprehensive online guide to help illegal immigrants understand their "rights" during interactions with ICE and other federal agents.
'The outcome of a state investigation or a private civil suit does not change a deportation order.'
Under the section entitled "How do I prepare myself and my family for encounters with ICE or other federal immigration authorities?" the tool kit offers an array of resources from far-left groups like the ACLU, the Latinx Alliance of Lane County, and United We Dream.
Should federal agents come knocking at the home of illegal immigrants living in Oregon, the guidance advises:
- not to open the door;
- to "ask to see a warrant signed by a judge";
- to refuse the agents "consent" to be there; and
- to order them politely to bugger off.
Screenshot of Oregon website
The guidance also provides suggestions about reporting violations of sanctuary laws, understanding often complicated legalese, and immigration-related community organization. It likewise points users to the Sanctuary Promise Hotline, community training opportunities, and other public resources dedicated solely to "stopping state and local police and government from helping federal authorities with immigration enforcement."
"Everyone has the right to live, work, play, and learn safely in Oregon," the website insists.
Rosenblum made a similar statement upon the website's release: "Every person has the right to live, work, play, and learn safely in Oregon, period.
"I asked my Civil Rights Unit here at the Oregon DOJ to do whatever we could to provide the people, businesses, and local governments of our state with easy-to-read materials to help them know their rights and educate others," her statement continued, "and I’m so pleased with what they’ve put together."
Though Rosenblum and the website make grandiose claims about "the right to live ... in Oregon," the state admits that it ultimately cannot entirely prevent ICE and other federal agents from doing their jobs.
"The outcome of a state investigation or a private civil suit does not change a deportation order, or any other decision/action by the federal courts or federal immigration authority to prosecute or remove a person from the United States," the website says.
Rosenblum, a former federal prosecutor and the state's top cop, was first elected to be the Oregon attorney general more than a decade ago. Since then, she has promoted a litany of woke causes, including unrestricted abortion, the environment and the effects of so-called "climate change," and gun restrictions, according to her state bio.
With President-elect Donald Trump about to resume office, Rosenblum has pled with illegal immigrants to keep informed about state laws.
"I recommend having conversations with family members in the next several weeks to know your rights, understand what protections Oregon’s sanctuary laws provide and what they do not provide, and make a plan for what to do if immigration officials come to your home or place of business."
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'Not a sanctuary state': Massachusetts Governor Healey backpedals on immigration
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (D) appeared to backpedal on her previous position regarding sanctuary policies and immigration.
In two separate interviews with the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald this week, Healey claimed, "We're not a sanctuary state."
'Governor Healey's recent remarks are in stark contrast to comments she's made celebrating Massachusetts being a sanctuary state.'
While there is no set definition for sanctuary jurisdictions, several policies are usually associated with the term and are generally used to label a particular state or city as such. One such policy includes the refusal to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
Massachusetts does not observe Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests. Additionally, it is the nation's only right-to-shelter state, which requires it to provide housing to all pregnant women and families with children under 21 years old.
After President-elect Donald Trump secured the 2024 election, Healey was one of several Democratic politicians who vowed to defy his mass deportation efforts.
She stated that Massachusetts state police would "absolutely not" cooperate with the incoming president's plan. Healey further pledged to use "every tool in the toolbox" to "protect" illegal aliens residing in the state.
This week, Healey appeared to do a U-turn.
She told the Boston Herald that the cost to provide housing to the many foreign nationals who have flooded the state is "overwhelming."
"We have a limited budget, and the emergency shelter system really was meant for Massachusetts families who were experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity and needed a place to go that was temporary," Healey stated. "We're trying to get to that place where emergency shelter is temporary and that it's really there just for a limited purpose for a family."
Healey said she believes "violent criminals should be deported if they're not here lawfully."
She told the Boston Herald that local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies should work together to remove these threats.
"I think what we need to do is work together here in Massachusetts to do both things: investigate, hold accountable, deport as necessary folks who are here unlawfully, who've engaged in criminal activity, absolutely, and also stand up for and protect the people who have been working here, going to school here, raising kids here, to ensure that they are not scared to go to the doctors or drop their kids off or school or go to work," Healey stated.
She claimed that the number of taxpayer dollars going toward the state's emergency shelter system would decrease.
Healey told the Boston Globe that she hopes to find common ground with the incoming administration on immigration issues.
"He's got Congress and the Senate," she said, referring to Trump. "And I hope he acts on that so that we see comprehensive immigration reform, we see a strengthening of the border, and we also see a pathway to citizenship for people who've been here, working, contributing to our economy, paying taxes."
Paul Craney of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance told Blaze News, "The Governor's comments are exactly why people are losing trust in their elected officials."
"Voters want truthful statements from their elected officials, and not more gaslighting," he continued. "Governor Healey's recent remarks are in stark contrast to comments she's made celebrating Massachusetts being a sanctuary state or even more recent remarks once President-elect Trump won office again in which she bragged about opposing some of the Trump Administration's efforts to deport illegal immigrants and inadmissible migrants."
"No one is buying it, but that's what her consultants are telling her to say," Craney added.
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Tim Walz Made Minnesota A ‘Sanctuary’ For Baby Killers And Child Mutilators
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