Immigration arrests were more prevalent in states other than California during the ICE raids
In a bid to make California a political battleground and test case, the Trump administration is prepared to invest substantial resources [1]. However, data released reveals that ICE arrests in California are significantly lower compared to states like Texas and Florida. This discrepancy can be attributed to California's policies and law enforcement dynamics.
California's sanctuary policies restrict local law enforcement agencies from fully cooperating with ICE, limiting the use of local jails for detaining undocumented immigrants on federal immigration holds [4]. This reduction in the pipeline for ICE arrests contrasts with states like Texas and Florida, which have more aggressive cooperation with ICE.
Another factor is the fewer jail-based collaborations in California. ICE largely depends on local jails to identify and detain immigrants, many of whom are arrested on local criminal charges. In states with strict non-cooperation policies, such as California, local jails do not routinely hold people for ICE requests, unlike Texas and Florida where such collaboration is more common [4].
Texas notably leads in ICE arrests partly due to large-scale enforcement operations and a higher intensity of immigration enforcement actions. Even recent large operations in California arrest fewer individuals than comparable operations in Texas [1][3].
Federal enforcement strategies also vary. ICE street arrests, which have increased due to federal directives to arrest immigrants irrespective of criminal records, are carried out nationwide but do not overcome state-level cooperation limits [5]. Despite spikes in operations in places like Los Angeles, California still ranks lower per capita in ICE arrests.
Between January 20 and June 26, California saw a 212% increase in ICE arrests compared to the five months before Trump took office [2]. Tom Homan, the incoming border enforcement advisor, threatened an increase in ICE operations in L.A. due to the city's decision to block resources for immigration enforcement [6].
The number of ICE arrests in the Los Angeles area soared from 463 in January to 2,185 in June [7]. In response, ICE agents in California began rounding up suspected undocumented immigrants in communities, rather than primarily at prisons or jails [8].
However, the percentage of immigrants arrested by ICE in California with criminal convictions fell from 66% in the first four months of the year to 30% in June [9]. This shift towards arresting a higher number of undocumented immigrants without criminal records has raised concerns among critics, who argue that ICE is violating court orders in some cases [10].
On July 11, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order, blocking immigration agents in Southern and Central California from targeting people based on race, language, vocation, or location without reasonable suspicion [11]. The order came after concerns were raised about potential violations of civil rights during immigration raids, such as the raids at Home Depots in Los Angeles [12].
The question remains about the economic and political cost of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement in California [1]. Critics argue that the administration's tactics could harm the state's economy and create a hostile environment for businesses and residents.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/02/us/politics/california-sanctuary-ice.html [2] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-arrests-california-soar-trump-administration-s-crackdown-n1031736 [3] https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-10/ice-arrests-california-trump-administration [4] https://www.axios.com/ice-arrests-california-sanctuary-cities-2581339126.html [5] https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-10/ice-arrests-california-trump-administration [6] https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-10/ice-arrests-california-trump-administration [7] https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-10/ice-arrests-california-trump-administration [8] https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-10/ice-arrests-california-trump-administration [9] https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-10/ice-arrests-california-trump-administration [10] https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-10/ice-arrests-california-trump-administration [11] https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-10/ice-arrests-california-trump-administration [12] https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-10/ice-arrests-california-trump-administration
- The Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement in California could potentially harm the state's economy and create a hostile environment for businesses and residents, according to critics.
- Unlike California, states like Texas and Florida have more aggressive cooperation with ICE, contributing to higher ICE arrests, as local jails in Texas and Florida often hold people for ICE requests.
- Federal judges have issued temporary restraining orders in California, blocking immigration agents from targeting people based on race, language, vocation, or location without reasonable suspicion, due to concerns about potential violations of civil rights.
- The Trump administration is investing substantial resources in California, aiming to make it a political battleground and a test case, but data shows that ICE arrests in California are significantly lower compared to states like Texas and Florida.
