News
By Michael Hernandez, 3-2-25
(Editor’s Note: California is one of 13 sanctuary states. The California Republican Senate Minority Leader has introduced a bill calling for “Safety Before Criminal Sanctuary Act.”)
SAN DIEGO—Republican Senator Brian Jones (40-San Diego) held a press conference Feb. 21 on the steps of the San Diego County Administration Building to introduce Senate Bill 554, the Safety Before Criminal Sanctuary Act that will help ensure violent offenders are not shielded from federal immigration authorities.
Appearing with him were Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa), Congressman Darrell Issa, San Diego County Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond, Carlsbad Mayor Keith Blackburn, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, Vista Mayor John Franklin, San Marcos City Councilman Ed Musgrove, Lakeside School Board President Andrew Hayes, Santee School Board Member Tracie Thill, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, Restore San Diego founder Amy Richert and RAD Movement founder Sharie Finn.
SB 554 will prevent local jurisdictions from passing sanctuary measures stronger than the current law (like the San Diego County Board of Supervisors) and will require law enforcement to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for violent offenders and specific crimes. SB 554 provides limitations to Senate Bill 54 (passed in 2017) which declares California as a Sanctuary State.
San Diego County voted in December, 2024 to become “super sanctuary” for migrants and San Diego County has spent five million annually on immigrant legal defense. California is one of 13 states (the others are: Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and Washington) that hold sanctuary status designed to protect immigrants and asylum-seekers who entered the U.S. illegally. By doing so, every county throughout the state is considered a sanctuary county, which limits interaction between local and federal immigration officials.
“The Safety Before Criminal Sanctuary Act is a common-sense measure to tighten up California’s Sanctuary State policies in favor of public safety,” said California Senator Jones. SB 554 is in response to a recent San Diego County ordinance declaring itself a “Super Sanctuary County” banning law enforcement from cooperating with ICE for any offense unless a federal warrant is issued. “We are stopping ‘super sanctuary’ cities and counties,” said Senator Jones.
“The authors and advocates of California’s sanctuary laws claim they protect people. But that’s not true. For years, they have instead shielded many of the most dangerous criminals in the country, all of them here illegally, and the names of the innocent California victims are a roll call of shame on the Governor and the Legislature,” said Congressman Darrell Issa.
“Instead of protecting immigrant communities, California’s sanctuary state law ensures their continued victimization at the hands of dangerous criminals here illegally. At a minimum, SB 54 must be reformed to allow ICE into our count jails so that we may stop the cycle of victimization and make our communities safer,” said Riverside County Sheriff Chad Blanco. “Let’s hold the bad guys accountable.”
“This legislation is not just about enforcing laws; it’s about protecting all of our communities. By ensuring that violent offenders are not shielded from federal authorities, we create a safer environment for everyone, including undocumented families who deserve protection from those who wish to harm them,” said Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh.
“Public safety is the cornerstone of our community and our law enforcement officers must have every tool available to keep us safe. The current sanctuary state law ties the hands of local law enforcement, preventing them from cooperating with federal authorities to address real threats,” said San Diego Supervisor Jim Desmond.
San Diego—the largest city along the southern border—remains among the highest rates of human trafficking cases and the entry of fentanyl in the U.S. according to Supervisor Desmond. “Since 2022, illegal immigration has ‘dumped’ about 155,000 migrants and asylum-seekers on San Diego County streets. Everyone wants change. It’s a safety issue. We want immigration, but we want people to do it legally…rather than people crossing the border and jumping to the front of the line.”
“It’s imperative that we prioritize safety and justice over political agendas. By doing so, we can protect not only our children but future generations as well. Let us ensure that no other parent has to endure the heartbreak and trauma that my family has faced,” said Sharie Finn, founder of The RAD Movement.
President Donald J. Trump and his “border czar” Tom Homan have targeted sanctuary states and cities that they say complicate mass deportation efforts of the administration.
SB 554 has eight co-authors: Senators Alvarado Gil (4-El Dorado), Steven Choi (37-Irvine), Megan Dahle (1-Redding), Shannon Grove (12-Bakersfield), Roger Niello (6-Roseville), Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (19-Redlands), Kelly Seyarto (32-Murrieta), and Suzette Martinez Valladares (23-Lancaster).
(Editor’s Note: To read the full text of Senate Bill 554 go to: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB554.)
—————————————
Michael Hernandez, is co-founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service and writes for CitizensJournal.net. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor and is editor of the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes” and “Election 2026 Countdown:88 Weeks & Counting.”Mr. Hernandez mentors citizens journalists and can be contacted at [email protected].
Note to readers: we are publishing some of these California articles to temporarily provide an online platform for people who will be establishing a new publication.
