Overview

• Operation Guardian Angel, launched by U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, seeks to override California's sanctuary state policies by issuing federal arrest warrants for undocumented individuals in county jails.
• The initiative is a collaboration of federal agencies including ICE, FBI, and Border Patrol, scanning criminal databases daily to identify individuals eligible for felony re-entry charges.
• Since its launch on May 10, the task force has arrested 13 individuals on federal charges, with plans to escalate to 50 arrests per week in Los Angeles County.
• California’s sanctuary laws, enacted in 2017, limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, rendering ICE detainers ineffective and prompting federal action.
• The Central District of California, home to an estimated 1.5 million undocumented immigrants, serves as the testing ground for this enforcement strategy.