NEW YORK, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) — A new immigration policy adopted by the U.S. San Diego County Board of Supervisors was supposed to stop jails from working with federal immigration officials, a move that would potentially hinder President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations, reported the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday.
But the county is now locked in a standoff in what could be a preview of local immigration politics after Trump retakes office in January. San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez said her office won’t comply with the county’s policy and would continue to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials when some people not authorized to be in the country are released from county jails.
“The Sheriff, as an independently elected official, sets the policy for the Sheriff’s Office,” the office said in a statement hours after the board approved the policy. “The Sheriff has the sole and exclusive authority to operate county jails.”
“The stalemate comes as some California jurisdictions are bracing for Trump’s promise on deportations and adopting policies designed to protect immigrant communities. Some California officials, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, said they are readying for legal fights against the incoming administration,” said the report.
The clash between the majority of San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors and its sheriff also illustrates how — even in California, a sanctuary state — efforts to undermine the Trump administration’s deportation plans could face legal challenges, practical hurdles and clashes when local officials disagree, it added.