LA is not a sanctuary city, US attorney says
Bill Essayli, the newly sworn-in U.S. Attorney in Southern California, says Los Angeles is not a sanctuary city. His new program “Operation Guardian Angel” allows federal immigration officials into prisons to arrest undocumented immigrants.
LOS ANGELES – Newly sworn-in U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli has launched a new program across Southern California to combat sanctuary city immigration policies.
In an interview Wednesday with Fox 11, we asked Essayli if he considers Los Angeles a “sanctuary city”.
“No,” responded Essayli. “It’s not a sanctuary.”
What we know:
Late last year, the LA City Council voted to officially become a sanctuary city, preventing city resources from being used to help enforce federal immigration laws.
Essayli’s newly announced “Operation Guardian Angel” allows federal authorities to enter jails across Southern California to make arrests.
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“We have agents working around the clock,” said Essayli. “As soon as someone is booked in the county jail, we’re able to access their fingerprints.”
Fox News was the only media there this week as an LA jail transferred an undocumented immigrant over to ICE through Guardian Angel. Using the Federal Illegal Re-entry law, federal authorities can access jails across Southern California and arrest inmates in the country illegally who were previously deported.
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What they’re saying:
“First they’re going to come to court, and they’re going to be charged and tried on that felony,” said Essayli. “They may end up serving many years in federal prison before they’re deported. That is what the California politicians are doing to these immigrants. They’re subjecting them to more prison time by doing this sanctuary state policy.”
The other side:
A spokesperson from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office pushed back, saying the Governor has previously rejected multiple bills that would have weakened law enforcement’s ability to coordinate with ICE.
“State law has explicitly permitted cooperation in these circumstances for many years,” said a Newsom spokesperson.
What’s next:
Essayli estimates roughly 50 arrests per week through Operation Guardian Angel across his district’s seven Southern California counties.
“This isn’t just some power struggle between the feds and the state, we’re actually trying to keep people safe,” said Essayli.
The Source: Information in this story is from an interview with U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, a statement from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and previous FOX 11 reports.
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