SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif.— Operation Guardian Angel is a pilot program launched by Federal prosecutors on May 10.
The program aims to counter California's sanctuary policies by using federal arrest warrants to take custody of certain undocumented immigrants in local jails. California’s sanctuary laws limit how local law enforcement can work with federal immigration authorities. “What we don't need is for our local law enforcement to be distracted by national politics away from their primary job. And their primary job of local law enforcement is to enforce local law,” said Larry Berendt from Indivisible Santa Barbara. In most cases, officers can’t ask about someone’s immigration status, share personal details with agencies like ICE, or hold someone just for immigration reasons. The Trump administration has pushed back on these rules for years, saying they protect dangerous criminals. Now, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli — the man behind Operation Guardian Angel — says his team plans to issue a wave of federal arrest warrants aimed at undocumented immigrants already in county jails. He says those warrants carry more legal weight than ICE detainers. “This is a device to try to fix something that doesn't need it, that isn't broken,” said UCSB Political Science Professor Mark Juergensmeyer.
He says the new program emboldens immigration authorities to deport all undocumented criminals regardless of the severity of their crimes saying, “Anybody who's in prison serves their prison time, and then at the completion of their prison time, they're released. So, are we releasing dangerous people into society?” Dale Francisco seems to thinks so. “People who have committed burglary or assault or you name it one time tend to do it again. and they never admitted this person legally in the first place,” said Francisco, who lives in Santa Barbara and served on City Council for years. In 2024, California's statewide recidivism rate has shown a declining trend, with recent reports indicating a three-year conviction rate of 39.1 percent. The California Department Of Corrections and Rehabilitation says this is the lowest since reporting began. Whereas some believe the goal of prison is to punish. Others believe it’s to rehabilitate. Casa de la Raza Director Jackie Inda says the guardian angel program will hurt kids the most. “They may be looking forward to a parent coming home. And that reality is now no longer there,” said Inda. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office says it will follow California law and only honor federal warrants signed by a judge. As of May 15, Operation Guardian Angel has led to 13 arrests statewide. Officials expect that number to rise.
New Federal program aims to counteract California’s sanctuary state policies, locals react News Channel 3-12.
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