E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
The United States Attorney's Office, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies, has initiated Operation Guardian Angel. This program aims to counteract California's sanctuary state policy by issuing federal arrest warrants for criminal illegal aliens held in county jails.
The Central District of California, which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties, is estimated to house 1.5 million illegal aliens. Some of these individuals are gang members and felons.
The operation plans to file complaints and arrest warrants to facilitate the custody transfer of as many defendants as possible from state jails to federal authorities. Since its commencement on May 10, the operation has resulted in 13 arrests by May 15. These numbers are anticipated to increase.
United States Attorney Bill Essayli stated: "Even the worst criminal aliens in state custody are frequently released into the community because California’s sanctuary state policies block cooperation with federal law enforcement." He emphasized that while California may currently disregard detainers, it cannot overlook federal arrest warrants.
The potential risks associated with state protection of criminal illegal aliens were highlighted by a February 2025 incident involving José Cristian Saravia-Sánchez. Saravia-Sánchez shot and killed an Inglewood resident who attempted to stop him from stealing a catalytic converter. Despite his status as an illegal alien with prior convictions and multiple arrests between June 2022 and August 2024, local law enforcement was unable to comply with an immigration detainer request due to state law restrictions.
Operation Guardian Angel seeks to mitigate the impact of California's sanctuary state policy and enhance community safety.
