Feds launch program in California to counteract state's sanctuary policies
LA jails forced to cooperate with ICE under new program
Federal prosecutors have launched a new program with a goal of neutralizing California sanctuary state policies. They say Operation Guardian Angel would make communities safer by taking undocumented criminal defendants directly into federal custody from state jails.
LOS ANGELES - Federal authorities have announced the launch of Operation Guardian Angel in Central California, a program designed to counteract the state's sanctuary policies by seeking federal arrest warrants for criminal undocumented immigrants held in county jails.
The operation aims to ensure that these individuals, including gang members and felons, are taken into federal custody despite state laws that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
What we know:
This program targets undocumented immigrants with criminal records who are currently incarcerated in county jails within the Central District, which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
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The operation utilizes federal arrest warrants to take these individuals into custody, a move intended to bypass California’s sanctuary state policies that often prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration detainers.
The backstory:
California's sanctuary state policies have been a point of contention between state and federal authorities. These policies generally limit the ability of state and local law enforcement agencies to detain individuals based solely on immigration status or to notify federal immigration authorities about their release.
According to United States Attorney Bill Essayli, "Even the worst criminal aliens in state custody are frequently released into the community because California’s sanctuary state policies block cooperation with federal law enforcement. These laws effectively render federal immigration detainers meaningless."
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A specific case highlighted the tensions arising from these policies. In February 2025, José Cristian Saravia-Sánchez, an undocumented immigrant with a prior conviction for vehicle theft and a history of multiple arrests and a prior deportation, allegedly killed a man in Inglewood.
Local law enforcement, constrained by state law, could not comply with a federal immigration detainer request in his case.
How It Works:
Operation Guardian Angel involves a federal task force comprising agents from ICE, FBI, HSI, DEA, and ATF, operating from an office in downtown Los Angeles.
This task force daily scans criminal databases using fingerprints to identify undocumented immigrants in Southern California jails who have previously been deported from the United States. Re-entry into the U.S. after deportation is a federal felony under 8 USC 1326.
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Once an individual with a prior deportation is identified and booked into a local jail, the task force seeks a federal criminal warrant for felony re-entry, which must be signed by a federal judge. Unlike administrative ICE warrants or detainer requests, these judicial warrants cannot be ignored by sanctuary jurisdictions under California law.
What they're saying:
United States Attorney Bill Essayli 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." He further explained the strategy behind the operation: "With this operation, we're going to be neutralizing California sanctuary state policies. We're going to flood the system with warrants for criminal illegal immigrants who are in county jails, they can ignore a detainer, but they cannot ignore a criminal arrest warrant. They have no choice, they will comply, and if they don't, if they interfere with our ability to arrest a federal felon, they can expect to face consequences for that."
Why you should care:
The implementation of Operation Guardian Angel signifies a direct challenge to California's sanctuary policies and has implications for public safety and the relationship between federal and state law enforcement.
Supporters of the operation argue it is necessary to protect communities from dangerous individuals who might otherwise be released due to limitations on cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Critics, however, may raise concerns about the potential impact on community trust and the role of federal intervention in state and local law enforcement matters. This operation highlights the ongoing debate surrounding immigration enforcement and the balance between state sovereignty and federal authority.
The Central District of California is home to an estimated 1.5 million undocumented immigrants, according to federal prosecutors.
What's next:
The U.S. Attorney’s Office anticipates that the number of arrests under Operation Guardian Angel will continue to grow as the task force continues to identify and seek warrants for eligible individuals in county jails across the Central District of California.
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The response from state and local authorities to these federal warrants will be closely watched, as will any potential legal challenges to the operation's approach. The long-term impact of this operation on California's sanctuary policies and the broader landscape of immigration enforcement remains to be seen.
The Source: Information for this story is from a press release published by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday, May 19, 2025.