Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have launched a new initiative, Operation Guardian Angel, to bypass California's sanctuary state laws by transferring undocumented immigrants from state jails to federal custody.
The move comes amid ongoing tensions between the Biden administration and local jurisdictions in California that restrict cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to Los Angeles Daily News, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California launched the program on May 10, allowing federal law enforcement to file criminal complaints and arrest warrants in order to assume custody of individuals directly from state facilities. The operation has led to 13 arrests on federal charges.
"These laws effectively render federal immigration detainers meaningless," said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. "While California may be presently disregarding detainers, it cannot ignore federal arrest warrants."
-
Trump Deepens Political Rift While Pushing Budget Bill: 'We Don't Want to Benefit Democrat Governors'
-
Newsom Proposes Pausing Health Access for Undocumented, Low-Income Immigrants Amid California's Billion-Dollar Budget Deficit
-
Most California Voters Say Governor Newsom Is Prioritizing Presidential Run Over State Issues: Survey
An immigration detainer is a request by ICE for local authorities to hold individuals for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release to allow federal custody transfer. Under California's sanctuary policies, which stem from the 2017 California Values Act (SB 54), local law enforcement generally cannot honor these detainers except under specific circumstances, such as for violent felonies.
In 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department received 201 fewer detainer requests from ICE than in 2023 and did not comply with any of them, according to LAPD Commander German Hurtado. "The LAPD prohibits initiating police action to discover civil immigration status and does not enforce immigration laws," Hurtado said during a presentation to the city's Police Commission.
However, critics argue that cooperation still exists through indirect channels. Organizations like the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition have raised concerns about how law enforcement data sharing might support federal immigration enforcement. "They're absolutely confusing, inaccurate and selectively report which information to share," said coalition member Hamid Khan.
California has the largest undocumented immigrant population in the U.S., with roughly 1.8 million residents. More than 25 jurisdictions across the state have declared themselves sanctuary cities or counties, including San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego.
Despite the federal pushback, local and state officials say they remain committed to policies that protect immigrant communities. "This is just another scare tactic to get us to follow this authoritarian agenda — but it's not going to work," said Los Angeles City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
