California officials, alongside numerous others nationwide, have received legal notices from America First Legal, a nonprofit founded by Stephen Miller, warning of potential legal repercussions for obstructing federal immigration enforcement. These notices come as the incoming Trump administration signals a crackdown on sanctuary policies.
The letters, totaling 249, were sent to elected officials in jurisdictions with sanctuary policies, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell, San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The notices assert that those living in the country illegally are subject to deportation and that shielding them is a criminal offense.
The nonprofit’s correspondence specifically targets Bonta, citing his public statements indicating California’s intent to not enforce federal immigration laws, which the letter argues violates federal law. The letters go on to warn that the officials could face both criminal and civil liability for such alleged lawlessness.
These legal notices arrive concurrently with statements from Tom Homan, Trump's incoming “border czar,” who suggested that city officials who don't actively assist with deportations may face criminal charges. Homan stressed that knowingly concealing an undocumented immigrant or obstructing a federal officer constitutes a felony.
In response to these threats, Attorney General Bonta characterized the letters as a "scare tactic." He reiterated that California’s Senate Bill 54, which was upheld in the courts during the Trump administration, limits the use of state and local resources for federal immigration enforcement. Bonta added that the law does not impede federal agencies from conducting their own enforcement activities.
Similarly, Mayor Bass' spokesperson called the notices “wrong on public safety and wrong on the law," while affirming the city’s commitment to acting in the best interests of Los Angeles. This comes as the city recently passed its own "sanctuary city" law, prohibiting city employees from engaging in federal immigration enforcement.
San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas emphasized that the county's recent adoption of a policy restricting the use of county resources for federal immigration enforcement was made with careful legal review to ensure federal compliance. She added that the county will not participate in practices that separate families or strain local resources, stressing that immigration enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility.
