San Diego County Decides to Ban Assistance for Immigration Enforcement

SAN DIEGO—On December 10, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors ratified a new local policy aimed at preventing the use of county resources in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions, particularly regarding the deportation of undocumented immigrants.

Board Chair Nora Vargas introduced the “board policy on immigration to enhance community safety,” expressing her intention to safeguard immigrant families from mass deportations.

“The proposed policy does not restrict or prohibit providing assistance in the investigative activities of any local, state, or federal law enforcement agency regarding suspected criminal law violations,” the policy states.

Post-vote, Sheriff Kelly Martinez remarked that the board does not dictate policy for her office, emphasizing that, like the supervisors, she is an elected official. She indicated her refusal to enforce the new policy.

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“Current state law appropriately balances limiting local law enforcement’s collaboration with immigration authorities, ensuring public safety while fostering trust within the community,” asserted Martinez, who identifies as a Democrat despite her nonpartisan office.

Tom Homan, selected by Trump as the “border czar,” and former acting ICE director, communicated to The Epoch Times via text that if ICE is compelled to conduct searches in communities for criminal undocumented immigrants—rather than apprehending them in county jails due to local authorities’ lack of cooperation—sanctuary policies will be counterproductive, leading to increased arrests.

“With fewer agents in jails and reduced collaboration with law enforcement, we must go into communities to locate public safety threats who have been released. Typically, we find them in the company of others, possibly non-criminals, leading to their arrest as well,” Homan remarked. “This will result in many non-priority arrests. Their actions will produce the opposite of what they intend: more arrests within communities.”

Legal experts in immigration, local clergy members, and residents expressed their backing for the sanctuary policy.

Supervisor Jim Desmond, the dissenting voice on the board, contended preceding the vote that the policy extends beyond California’s existing sanctuary laws by introducing additional bureaucratic measures that obstruct local law enforcement from directly informing ICE about undocumented immigrants in jails, including individuals convicted of serious crimes like rape and murder.

In contrast, Vargas maintained that the policy “in no way hinders federal criminal investigations.”

“We are not discussing the release of criminals onto the streets,” she stated. “It is crucial to underscore that we have witnessed the tragic repercussions of current immigration enforcement policies, which have led to families being torn apart and communities being destabilized.”

Numerous supporters expressed that they back the sanctuary policy to protect undocumented immigrants and maintain trust between immigrant populations and law enforcement.

Erin Tsurumoto Grassi, associate director of Alliance San Diego, informed the board that advocates have urged the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for years to cease aiding in the deportation of community members “to no avail.”

“It’s truly time,” she asserted. “The most effective way to safeguard our community members from mass deportations is to ensure that we are not utilizing our own county resources to assist the federal government in doing so.”

Tammy Alvarado, a lifelong resident of California, articulated that local law enforcement’s collaboration with ICE might lead to unwanted consequences, such as distrust in the police and underreporting of crimes in immigrant communities.

“In the absence of trust, crimes remain unreported due to fear of potential repercussions. Individuals may resort to taking matters into their own hands, jeopardizing the safety of both law enforcement officers and community members,” she explained.

Rev. Kristen Kuriga of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego described the sanctuary policy as essential to keeping families united, enhancing community safety, and upholding the inherent dignity of every individual.

One local resident, Matt Baker, voiced his criticism of the board for the new policy, claiming they are neglecting the safety concerns of American families. He was ultimately asked to leave the meeting.

Baker later told The Epoch Times outside the board chambers that the county is essentially “a sanctuary within a sanctuary,” given that California already has existing sanctuary laws.

He also condemned the county for expending millions on detention facilities for undocumented immigrants as well as hotel accommodations, phones, and medical services.

“It feels like they are operating from a predetermined script,” he remarked. “I had reached my limit. I expressed my feelings openly,” he added.

Amy Reichert, founder of Restore San Diego, an organization that opposes government overreach, defended Baker, referring to him as “a frustrated American citizen” who was exasperated by the board’s responses.

“We just observed a completely predictable outcome from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors … who opted to protect criminal undocumented individuals rather than American citizens,” she declared.

Reichert criticized non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for profiting from illegal immigration, noting their significant presence at the meeting.

“They were here en masse, all repeating the same scripted lines,” Reichert commented.

Audra Morgan, another local activist, conveyed her concern to The Epoch Times after the vote, worrying that the county’s initiatives to shield undocumented immigrants could sow further division in the community.

“I find what they are doing to be exceedingly dangerous,” she said. “It is putting the community at risk once again.”

Morgan anticipated opposition from the county against Trump’s mass deportation strategy, suggesting that the sanctuary policy would burden residents and “create unnecessary chaos.”

“Many individuals may refuse to be deported, and the county, along with the NGOs, will use our resources to oppose this deportation strategy,” she expressed.

Supervisor Joel Anderson did not attend the meeting and did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) categorizes San Diego and Los Angeles among the ten largest sanctuary cities in the United States.

In the fiscal year 2024, which concluded on September 30, there were over 2.1 million encounters in the Southwest Border Sector, with nearly 30,000 occurring in the San Diego sector that also encompasses the county, according to Customs and Border Protection data. The total nationwide encounters over the past four fiscal years surpassed 10.8 million, not accounting for “gotaways” or individuals who entered the United States via the CBP One app to request asylum.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.