'Flood the system': US attorney unleashes new task force to crack down on blue state's sanctuary policies

EXCLUSIVE: United States Attorney for the District of California Bill Essayli is taking major action to crack down on "sanctuary" policies in the Golden State.

He’s launching "Operation Guardian Angel," which is a task force, made up of assets from ICE, HSI, DEA, FBI, ATF, and Border Patrol, to begin scanning a criminal database every single day to identify arrested illegal aliens in local jurisdictions that DOJ can charge with felony illegal-reentry.

"They've made it almost impossible for ICE to do their job, issue detainers and get criminal illegal immigrants out of jails. So what we're doing instead is we're going to start issuing warrants," he told Fox News.

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Sacramento, CA - March 20: California Assemblymember Bill Essayli along with fellow lawmakers honor women in California making an impact during Womens History Month on Monday, March 20, 2023 in Sacramento, CA.  (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

"We're going to flood the system with warrants for criminal illegal immigration that are in county jails, they can ignore a detainer, but they cannot ignore a criminal arrest warrant," Essayli continued. 

"As soon as an illegal immigrant is booked into a county jail, we're reviewing their file. And if they meet the elements of illegal reentry, which is a federal crime, we are filing a complaint and getting an arrest warrant issued before they're released from state custody."

Essayli said that the first-of-its-kind program will make the Golden State a "testing ground" for other sanctuary jurisdictions throughout the country, as the administration aims to get illegal aliens with criminal charges and convictions swiftly out of the United States. 

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An illegal immigrant is arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Fox News)

While border crossings have plummeted, the administration is aiming to boost the number of removals. The CBP One app was turned into the CBP Home app, where those in the country illegally can now self-deport with a paid-for flight and an $1,000 stipend once they have been confirmed to leave the country. 

As for illegal aliens in the criminal justice system, the attorney said they plan to file up to 50 warrants a week in his jurisdiction, which covers Los Angeles – there’s already been 350 filed since Trump took office.

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"They have no choice, they will comply. And if they don't comply, if they interfere in our ability to arrest a federal felon, they can expect to face consequences for that. So I don't expect any resistance from the local authorities," he said.

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White House border czar Tom Homan speaks with reporters at the White House, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP )

Felony re-entry was largely not prosecuted during the Biden administration. Essayli says his predecessor, the US Attorney in Los Angeles under Biden, only filed 17 of these cases in two years.

The attorney said transferring from local to federal custody is one of the better ways to get hold of illegal aliens with criminal charges.

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"This is the safest way for us to get criminal illegal immigrants. Get them while they're still in state custody, where they've been searched. They have no weapons, and we can do a safe transfer," he said. 

Fox News' Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.