The sheriff of San Diego County has defied a new policy aimed at limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, setting up a confrontation over potential obstacles to President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation.
The big picture: Earlier on the same day, the San Diego County supervisors voted to restrict the sheriff’s department from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the enforcement of civil immigration laws, including those related to deportations.
- This decision was supported by three Democrats on the board of supervisors, with the aim of preventing the use of local resources for actions that harm community trust or divert critical resources away from addressing key challenges.
- In response, Sheriff Kelly Martinez stated that the board does not set policy for the sheriff, and she indicated that she would not honor the new policy. She maintained that the current state law strikes the right balance between limiting local law enforcement’s cooperation with immigration authorities and ensuring public safety while building community trust.
Why it matters: San Diego County’s defiance of the new policy is significant due to its population of 3.3 million and its location on the U.S. border with Mexico.
- The county’s stance complicates Trump’s deportation plans, as ICE relies heavily on sheriffs to notify them of individuals in their custody and temporarily hold them if requested, to allow federal officials time to arrest them on immigration charges.
- Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, highlighted San Diego as a place where the administration’s deportation plans are complicated by “sanctuary” laws, which restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Homan expressed concerns about laws denying ICE access to county jails, stating that they put the community at risk.
- The policy’s implementation means that ICE will now need a judge’s order to receive assistance from the county, effectively limiting the transfer of individuals to immigration authorities.
What they’re saying: California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R–San Diego) said on X that it is unconscionable that San Diego County has declared itself a “Super Sanctuary.”
- “As a leading hotspot for illegal immigration, San Diego faces significant challenges,” Jones said. “Instead of prioritizing the safety of our citizens, a majority of the County Board of Supervisors has shamelessly decided to shield rapists, gang members, child abusers, and other violent criminals from deportation.”
