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ICE arrests 78 criminal illegal aliens in operation targeting California’s sanctuary policies

September 26, 2025

ICE arrests Illegal AliensBy KAREN VELIE

Operation Guardian Angel, a program that seeks to neutralize California’s sanctuary state policy and protect Americans from criminal illegal aliens, has led to 78 arrests since it was launched in May.

In an attempt to “neutralize California’s sanctuary state policy” which bans law enforcement from complying with detainers, federal prosecutors now file arrest warrants instead of detainers. Since May, federal prosecutors have secured 171 arrest warrants for the Central District of California.

As a result, officers have arrested 73 criminal illegal aliens at local jails. Law enforcement has also arrested five criminal illegal aliens at county courthouses for a total of 78 arrests.

Since the first of the year, 11 inmates at San Luis Obispo County Jail were arrested on federal warrants, while five additional warrants are awaiting outcomes of local charges, according to SLO County Sheriff Ian Parkinson. At least two criminal illegal aliens have been arrested outside the courthouse in San Luis Obispo.

The Central District of California – comprised of the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura – is home to an estimated 1.5 million illegal aliens. This population includes “gang members and other dangerous felons,” according to acting U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli.

“This program’s initial results show that my office no longer stands idly by while criminal illegal aliens are released from city and county jails and onto our streets,” Essayli said. “California’s misguided sanctuary state laws and policies only protect criminal illegal aliens, which can no longer be tolerated.”

Prosecutors point at several  “tragic results” of California’s sanctuary policy including one case in SLO County.

In February, José Cristian Saravia-Sánchez, 30, of Mexico, shot and killed an Inglewood man who tried to stop him from stealing a catalytic converter. Even though he was an illegal alien who had been convicted of vehicle theft, was removed from the United States in 2013, and had been arrested 11 times between June 2022 and Aug. 2024, local law enforcement was prevented by state law from complying with an immigration detainer request.

On May 10, a 6-year-old boy died after his father, Briant Reyes Estrada, 27, an illegal alien from Mexico, left him in car parked at the Paso Robles Inn while he worked. At the time of his death, the child had bruises on his face and chest not related to the incident that took his life.

Estrada had been arrested two weeks earlier on unrelated state charges but was released from SLO County Jail and not turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement because of California’s sanctuary law.

The SLO County District Attorney’s Office has charged Estrada with murder and willful harm to a child. Estrada is also facing federal criminal charges of visa fraud.

 


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Every politician who voted for the sanctuary law has blood on their hands. Had the sanctuary law not been in effect, Estrada could have been turned over to ICE after his court date and release from county jail. Had ICE been allowed to do their job, Estrada would have been unable to inflict more injuries on this poor child or leave him to die in a sweltering car. GREAT JOB GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATORS!!!


16

If the state can ignore federal law, Our sheriff needs to disobey this insane state law and start serving the people that elected him.


34

What kind of horrible politicians foist an idea like sanctuary for criminal aliens on their constituents? We all know who, it’s California Democrats.


37

I say the jails coordinate their “release” times a few hours apart, daily. That way ICE can move from one to another in perfect time to encounter these illegals.


23

78 arrests in California since May? This is a $149 billion campaign. California is the #1 target-and only 78 arrests?

Regional law enforcement does better than this at .00383700% the cost.

Is it fair to say that this program is failing for the price?


-23

Try reading the article again. Slowly this time. Clearly you didn’t understand that it was about fed arrests at CA jails and courthouses, of illegals CA intended to release after they were granted bail, release, or served their little CA incarcerations. It wasn’t about all illegals the feds have dealt with so far this year.


23

it might be helpful to your case to explain more detail on the 149B.


you might have a point if it were a standalone program, but you have chosen to ignore that it is part of a much bigger picture.


for one thing, getting the criminals off the streets is the goal.


are you really in a position to determine the cost effectiveness of every law enforcement program?


methinks not.


2

looks like a case of “sudden democrat cost concern”.


6

Like pretty much everything else, dems are on the wrong side of this issue. They pretend their “sympathy” for illegal aliens validates their claim to the moral high ground; I’m sure the 2 victims in the above article, and the many many more victims of illegal immigrant predators, would disagree.


82

Clear the estimated 4 MILLION other ILLEGAL INVADERS in my multi-generational and still native California, will bring so much housing and less crime back to my state.


#ENDTheDemoNcratParty


American/Californian Patriot #Hispanics4Trump, #Hispanics4TRUERepublicans and the Rule of Law. ⚖️


POTUS DJT #45-47


Winning!


17

Amen to that!!!


The libs are destroying themselves daily. They learned nothing last November on where the majority of Americans stand on certain VERY IMPORTANT policies!!!


With Jasmine, AOC, Newscum, Pritzker, and the Somolian radica Ilhan Omar at the forefront of their party, they are the laughing stock of the majority of Americans!!!! You guys are doing great, keep up the good work!!!


WINNING!!!!!! #45-47


1

Great job ICE, only 20 million more to go.


78

Last year in the Biden presidency ICE arrested 113,000 aliens.

This year in the Trump presidency 60,000. Ya-look it up.

At this pace-it will take millions of trillions of $$ to round up 20 million more.

ICE is recruiting meatheads from MMA gyms, bouncers from bars and proud boys. They aren’t cutting it.


-27

ha – 60,000 arrests?


try 2 million deported or selfied.


10

In only 6 month, over 2 MILLION ILLEGAL INVADERS have self-deported or were caught and deported from the USA. And we’re just getting ramped up to catch many more.


These American Patriots of Hispanic descent VOTED for this. ALL OF THIS!


I don’t know where you get your facts but it’s not where you’re currently looking. Not even close.


11

Y’all will eat their food, steal their culture, and then kick them out. Disgraceful. This administration has brought eternal shame to this country.


-57

They will take our welfare, use our medical and food stamps, work under the table, fill our jails and courtrooms and send their wages south. perspective24 has brought shame to its family.


14

We will take the “eternal shame” as it helps Mexico clean up her “eternal corruption”, the factor that drives everything Mexican. How about it perspective 24, you gonna’ help?


9

The only culture being stolen is ours. We allow immigrants in to the the US legally when they learn about our culture and accept it and swear an oath to our country. Not many illegals who entered will assimilate. We are a melting pot and welcome immigrants who come here legally, love our country and become Americans who believe in our values, laws, and the American way of life. It’s our country. Love it or stay home and fix your country.


8