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Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger once said that “the first duty and greatest obligation of government is public safety.” He was right.
However, less than a decade later, progressive Democrats in Sacramento passed California’s now infamous “state of refuge“law, disregarding public safety for what they believed to be a more just and important goal; ensuring that illegal immigrants here do not face deportation when they commit crimes.
Instead of removing illegal immigrant criminals from our communities by releasing them to federal agents for deportation, law enforcement agencies across the country have since been forced to release them back onto our streets where they all too often commit crimes, sometimes with disastrous consequences.
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In 2021, federal immigration officials tried to pick up an illegal immigrant who had already been marked for deportation when he was arrested for domestic violence after beating the mother of his three-year-old child. Instead, thanks to that “sanctuary” policy, he was released the next day. He proceeded to shoot her in front of their daughter.
Earlier this year I visited our southern border and spoke with immigration officials who warned of the dangers of these illegal immigrant criminals pose. They expressed serious concern about the increasing number of young men crossing the border, with fears that some may have unknown criminal histories at home. But in San Diego, even if these illegal immigrants continue to commit crimes, our law enforcement agencies are hamstrung by this reckless “sanctuary” policy.
These rules have hurt Californians and will continue to do so. But now, in its infinite wisdom, the Democratic-majority San Diego County Board of Supervisors has decided to take it a step further.
Current law allows local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials in extreme cases such as murders and gang violence, but the board felt that even that was too harsh on these criminals. Last week, they voted to make San Diego County a “super sanctuary” where under no circumstances can local police cooperate with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency without an order from a federal judge.
In the race for the title of who hates Trump the most, three Democrats on the committee voted to ensure that illegal immigrants, even if they are arrested for murder, rape, child abuse or drug dealing, will not be deported. This means that if the case falls because a witness disappears or chooses not to testify, as often happens, the illegal immigrants who killed San Diegans will be freed to kill again in our communities even if ICE asks them to be deported.
They claim it’s a stance against Trump’s policies that could allow more of these criminal illegal immigrants to be deported, but in reality it’s a step much, much further. It is completely aiding and abetting hardened, violent criminals who are in our country illegally and are committing heinous and violent crimes in our communities.
And with what goal? To poke and antagonize the incoming president for progressive cookies? To be seen as standing up to the supposed baug by protecting yourself and surrounding yourself with real life ones right here in our communities?
This is despicable. Our job as elected officials is to protect the people we represent. Families and communities that chose us. Taking care of their interests and safety above all. This is not that.
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However, there is some hope as San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez has announced that she will not comply with the new “great haven“, referring to her position as an independently elected official whose policies are not determined by the County Board. I commend her for rejecting this partisan virtue signaling and prioritizing public safety.
In the meantime, I and other San Diego Republican elected officials are working to find solutions to combat the board’s insanity at the state level.
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We have to go back to the time when elected leaders put serving the best interests of their constituents over engaging in political battles for headlines. At a time when politicians prioritized the safety of hard-working, everyday people instead of illegally protecting criminals who want to harm them.
Today, I’m calling on the Board of Supervisors to reconsider this new “super sanctuary” policy, and I’m calling on the people of San Diego to speak up and make your voice heard. If this “super sanctuary” policy is not what you want for your community, call your supervisor and let them know. Because, as Governor Schwarzenegger said, your safety should be their first duty and highest obligation.
