Donald Trump’s incoming admin is not playing games. They’re putting their money where their mouths are.
And now Trump’s border czar has laid the smackdown on radical Leftists trying to hide illegal immigrants.
San Diego County Expands Sanctuary Laws, Sparking Response from Incoming Border Czar Tom Homan
In December 2024, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, controlled by Democrats, made a controversial decision to expand its sanctuary policies, further limiting local law enforcement’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This move adds to California’s already stringent sanctuary laws and has drawn strong criticism from Tom Homan, the incoming border czar under the Trump administration, who promises a robust response to such measures.
The new county-wide ordinance prohibits local law enforcement from notifying ICE agents about foreign nationals in custody, even when these individuals have committed serious crimes, such as r*pe, child abuse, burglary, gang violence, and other violent offenses. This extension of sanctuary policies effectively shields criminal immigrants from deportation, further challenging federal immigration enforcement.
Homan, who was tasked with fulfilling President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations and stricter immigration policies, wasted no time in criticizing the San Diego County decision. In an interview with reporters, Homan remarked that the new policy would force ICE agents into local neighborhoods instead of allowing them to conduct arrests in the safer, more controlled environment of county jails.
“Rather than arresting an illegal alien criminal in the safety and security of a county jail where we know he doesn’t have weapons, they’re forcing ICE officers into the streets, into neighborhoods to find these people,” Homan said. “It’s ridiculous.”
Homan made it clear that the expanded sanctuary laws would not deter the Trump administration’s plans for enforcement. While the law creates additional challenges for ICE, he emphasized that it would lead to more agents being deployed to San Diego, as arrests that could have been made inside a jail would now require full teams of officers to ensure safety. “It just means we’ll have more agents in San Diego because rather than one guy arresting a guy in a jail — we have to send a whole team to safely arrest a guy,” Homan explained. “So they can expect a lot more agents in that jurisdiction.”
When President Trump walks back into the Oval Office in January of 2025. We'll lock this border down in 120 days.
Make this go viral!💥 pic.twitter.com/Ajnb4Zja1l
— Tom Homan (@RealTomHoman) December 13, 2023
San Diego’s Sanctuary Expansion and Local Response
The expansion of sanctuary laws was spearheaded by Democrat Supervisor Nora Vargas, who argued that California’s existing provisions that allowed exceptions for migrants with serious criminal histories were a “loophole” that did not adequately protect the residents of the state. This rationale led to the approval of the proposal, which passed by a 3-1 vote, with only GOP Supervisor Jim Desmond opposing it.
The new ordinance prohibits county law enforcement from allowing ICE agents access to county facilities, responding to ICE inquiries, or assisting in any civil immigration enforcement activities. In response to the policy change, Supervisor Desmond issued a scathing statement, describing the law as a “super” sanctuary policy that would protect illegal immigrant criminals. Desmond warned that this policy could endanger public safety by preventing the deportation of individuals who have committed violent crimes.
“This reckless measure not only goes far beyond California’s already extreme Sanctuary State laws but actively endangers our communities by shielding illegal immigrant criminals from deportation,” Desmond stated. He highlighted that the policy would prevent law enforcement from notifying ICE about individuals in custody who have committed serious crimes, such as r*pe, child abuse, assault, burglary, and more.
San Diego’s vote is just one of many actions taken by Democrat-led jurisdictions across the country that have sought to tighten or reaffirm sanctuary laws. Following the 2016 election of President Trump, cities such as Los Angeles, Boston, and Arlington County, Virginia, among others, have moved to strengthen their sanctuary policies or officially endorse them. Many Democratic mayors and lawmakers have voiced opposition to the Trump administration’s hardline immigration agenda, arguing that sanctuary laws protect immigrant communities from unjust deportations.
Former California Governor Jerry Brown, who signed the state’s SB 54 sanctuary law in 2017, also weighed in on the growing sanctuary movement. In a December interview, Brown acknowledged that some cities have expanded their sanctuary policies beyond what he had originally intended. SB 54 included exceptions for immigrants convicted of violent crimes, but Brown noted that many local jurisdictions have since moved “way, way beyond” the original law, removing even those exceptions.
Challenges for the Trump Administration’s Immigration Enforcement
The expansion of sanctuary policies across Democrat-controlled areas is likely to create significant obstacles for the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans. The Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates for stricter immigration laws, estimates that nearly eight million illegal immigrants currently reside within sanctuary jurisdictions. This large population could complicate the Trump administration’s ability to carry out widespread deportations.
Homan expressed confusion over why some politicians would oppose turning over dangerous criminals to federal authorities for deportation, especially when those individuals pose a clear threat to public safety. “I’ve been clear and President Trump’s been clear, we’re going to concentrate on public safety threats right out of the gate,” Homan said. “What elected official doesn’t want public safety threats removed from their community?”
It remains to be seen how the Trump administration will adapt its enforcement strategies in the face of local resistance. What is certain, however, is that both sides of the immigration debate are bracing for a prolonged and contentious struggle. The incoming Trump team is not showing any signs that they are willing to back down from this fight just because some radical Democrats want to usurp the will of the American people and hide illegal immigrants.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
