Operation Guardian Angel Forces California Jails to Cooperate With ICE Despite Sanctuary Policies – Twitchy

Across the country sanctuary cities, counties, and states have implemented policies that protect criminal illegal aliens. Policies that prevent law enforcement and corrections officers from cooperating with ICE, putting politics before public safety.

US Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli has come up with a plan to counter these dangerous policies. He has put together a multi-agency task force that will work together to force California jurisdictions to comply with the law.

I’m excited to announce the launch of Operation Guardian Angel which will neutralize California’s sanctuary state policies. Under the Trump Administration we will not allow sanctuary jurisdictions to stand in the way of keeping the American People safe. https://t.co/QQ0SwWlxLf

— U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) May 19, 2025

The federal task force made up of agents from ICE, FBI, HSI, DEA, and ATF will identify illegal alien inmates who have previously been deported. Entering the country illegally a second time is a felony. Sanctuary policies require jails to ignore  ICE detainers, but they cannot legally ignore a felony warrant.

Bill Melugin of Fox News covered the details.

EXCLUSIVE: We witnessed an incredibly rare sight in the sanctuary city of Los Angeles, as Twin Towers jail transferred an illegal alien inmate to ICE custody, not because sanctuary policies have changed, but because the jail is being *forced* to cooperate w/ ICE as part of a new… pic.twitter.com/j7DhevmVwr

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 19, 2025

Bill breaks down the details of how the task force will operate:

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We witnessed an incredibly rare sight in the sanctuary city of Los Angeles, as Twin Towers jail transferred an illegal alien inmate to ICE custody, not because sanctuary policies have changed, but because the jail is being *forced* to cooperate w/ ICE as part of a new federal operation designed to “neutralize” California’s sanctuary state law.The new Trump-appointed US Attorney in Los Angeles, @USAttyEssayli, launched “Operation Guardian Angel” last week, and it’s already forcing sanctuary jails to make transfers to ICE.

The post continues:

How does it work?

Essayli has organized a federal task force made up of ICE, FBI, HSI, DEA, and ATF, working out of an office in downtown LA. Every single day, they are now scanning criminal databases w/ fingerprints and identifying illegal aliens in jails throughout Southern California who have been previously deported from the United States.If they’ve come back to the US after a deportation, they’ve committed a federal felony under 8 USC 1326 known as “illegal re-entry”.As soon as the task force ID’s an alien booked into a local jail who has a previous deportation, they seek a federal criminal warrant on them for felony re-entry, signed off on by a federal judge.

Unlike an administrative ICE warrant or ICE detainer request, these criminal judicial warrants for 8 USC 1326 *CANNOT* be ignored by sanctuary jurisdictions, and California’s sanctuary state law cannot shield aliens from these criminal warrants. Instead of releasing the alien inmates and ignoring ICE detainers, jails must hand the aliens over to the Feds, regardless of sanctuary policy.

“With this operation, we’re going to be neutralizing California sanctuary state policies,” Essayli told me. “We’re going to flood the system with warrants for criminal illegal immigrants who are in county jails, they can ignore a detainer, but they cannot ignore a criminal arrest warrant. They have no choice, they will comply, and if they don’t, if they interfere with our ability to arrest a federal felon, they can expect to face consequences for that.

The task force hopes to become a model that can be used in sanctuary jurisdictions around the country.

The task force says once they’re at full steam, they project they will be arresting 40-50 aliens from local jails every week, and that if it’s successful in LA, US Attorneys can use it as a model to neutralize sanctuary jurisdictions in other parts of the country.

40 to 50 arrests a week pales in comparison to the millions of illegal aliens that crossed Biden’s open border, but should this task force program expand 40 to 50 arrests from every jail, in every sanctuary city in the country could add up quickly. It also addresses a top priority of ICE and the Trump Administration. Removing criminal illegal aliens as quickly as possible.

Seriously, we need to bring this to every Blue state in the nation. @CTCentinal @CTLake14Patriot @CTyank860z @ct_unite @tomshattuck

— Nicky Chaleunphone 🇺🇸 (@NChaleunphone) May 19, 2025

The sooner the better.

I’ve lived in Los Angeles County my entire life and I am ecstatic about this!!

Thank you U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and everyone who is making this happen!

🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

— 🇺🇲Kathy❤God❤Family❤️Country🇺🇲 (@ProudMomGrammy) May 19, 2025

This is what I voted for!

— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) May 19, 2025

Sadly, a federal task force is required to force local and state law enforcement to cooperate with ICE to remove criminal illegal aliens from the country. Essayli’s plan shows great promise and could soon be implemented in sanctuary jurisdictions across the nation.

It’s high time sanctuary cities start putting public safety ahead of politics, even if they have to be forced to do so.  

Editor’s Note: The Deep State is working overtime to subvert President Trump’s agenda and the will of the people. 

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