Under President Trump’s second term, immigration enforcement is back in full swing, and nowhere is that clearer than in California.
Leading the charge is U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who’s not backing down from the fight against sanctuary policies that have long made the state a haven for illegal immigrants, even those with serious criminal records.
Appointed by Trump, Essayli is now the top federal prosecutor for California’s Central District. With his new operation, called Guardian Angel, he’s doing something that many conservatives have long called for: putting teeth back into federal immigration law.
Restoring Law and Order
California’s sanctuary state law, known as SB 54, tells local police they can’t help federal agents detain or deport illegal immigrants, unless the person has committed certain crimes.
Critics say that’s made it nearly impossible for ICE to do its job. Essayli agrees.
Through Operation Guardian Angel, launched in May, his team is going after people who were deported, came back illegally, and are now being protected by local jails that refuse to cooperate with ICE. So far, at least 13 of these repeat offenders are already in federal custody.
One example is a Mexican national from Inglewood who had been arrested 11 times between 2022 and 2024. He was deported years ago, then came back. Now he’s been charged with murder. Essayli’s team secured a federal warrant and got him off the streets.
Bypassing the State Blockade
Because California refuses to hold these offenders for ICE, Essayli’s team is charging them with illegal reentry – a federal crime. That lets agents bypass state roadblocks by going directly to a federal judge for arrest warrants.
He says this is the only way to keep dangerous criminals from hiding behind sanctuary laws.
According to Tricia McLaughlin, a top official at Homeland Security, these operations are highly targeted and based on criminal history, not race or appearance.
Still, critics (including groups like the ACLU) have accused ICE of racial profiling and overstepping its legal bounds. A federal judge recently ordered ICE to stop detaining people based on what she called “indiscriminate stops” and to provide attorneys and better training for agents.
But Essayli fired back, saying ICE agents have never detained individuals without proper legal justification.
Trump’s Agenda in Action
Essayli’s work lines up directly with President Trump’s tough immigration promises. That includes a $170 billion plan to hire 20,000 new ICE officers, build more detention centers, and carry out what Trump calls “the largest deportation program in American history.”
It also includes sending National Guard and even Marines to sanctuary states like California, where recent protests against ICE have turned violent. In response, Trump deployed 2,000 Guard troops and 700 Marines to help restore order.
So far, 40 protesters have faced felony charges – though only seven indictments have gone through. Supporters say the chaos shows exactly why sanctuary laws are dangerous.
Concerns from the Other Side
California’s Democrat leaders – like Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass – claim Essayli is stirring fear and division.
They point to the $9 million Los Angeles County has spent since June handling ICE-related issues and argue the raids hurt public trust.
But Essayli and his supporters say the opposite is true. They believe local leaders are putting the needs of illegal immigrants ahead of the safety of American citizens.
A Divided State, A Federal Stand
Even some within Essayli’s own office have questioned the aggressive approach, but many conservatives still see him as a much-needed fighter.
In a state known for blocking ICE at every turn, Bill Essayli has found a way to push back – and he’s not apologizing for it.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
