The U. S. Department of Justice, under provisions still in effect pushed during the Trump administration, has reactivated in 2025 Operation Guardian Angel, a federal plan designed to counter the immigration protection policies of so-called “sanctuary cities,” starting with the state of California.
The program officially went into effect on May 10, with its first operational deployment in Southern California counties, particularly in Los Angeles, a city that for decades has been a symbol of resistance to cooperation with federal immigration agencies such as ICE(Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
What does this Guardian Angel operation involve?
Guardian Angel authorizes federal agents to intervene in local jails to prevent the release of arrested persons, even if they have already served their sentence or were granted bail.
Instead, they should be transferred directly to ICE custody, with the goal of initiating immediate deportation proceedings.
The order also requires that no local authority can release a detainee without direct approval from ICE, which represents a radical shift in immigration policy at the state and local level.
In its first two weeks of implementation, at least 13 people have reportedly been intercepted in Los Angeles County jails.
Experts warn that the number will increase rapidly, as federal agents are authorized to detain people for misdemeanors and even inconclusive arrests.
Who is affected?
The program not only targets undocumented immigrants, but also includes lawful permanent residents (green card holders) who have had any type of contact with the criminal justice system, regardless of whether they were found guilty or not.
This means that a simple arrest for a traffic violation, disorderly conduct or minor misdemeanor can be enough for ICE to request a detainer and subsequent deportation, without the need for a court order.
Conflict with local policies
Since 1979, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has enforced Special Order 40, which prohibits officers from stopping someone solely on the basis of immigration status.
However, this policy directly conflicts with the new federal order, which requires local law enforcement agencies to notify ICE when a person with questionable immigration status is arrested.
This represents a legal and operational rift between local and federal governments, which could trigger lawsuits and jurisdictional conflicts in the courts.
Los inmigrantes están aterrados por todas las estrategias y operativos de la administración de Trump que están implementando contra ellos
Warning to the Hispanic community
Buzzy
Abogados de inmigración han emitido alertas urgentes para los inmigrantes que viven en Estados Unidos, especialmente en California.
Recomiendan evitar toda situación que pueda llevar a una interacción con la policía, incluso por razones menores, ya que la detención en sí misma —aunque no haya condena— puede activar la intervención de ICE bajo el paraguas de la operación Ángel Guardián.
También aconsejan llevar siempre consigo documentación migratoria vigente, conocer sus derechos al momento de una detención y tener a mano el contacto de un abogado especializado.
La reactivación de la operación Ángel Guardián representa un cambio profundo en la política migratoria interna, enfocándose ahora en personas que ya se encuentran dentro del sistema judicial, sin necesidad de arrestos por razones migratorias puras.
Para la comunidad hispana, esto significa que acciones rutinarias pueden tener consecuencias migratorias devastadoras, por lo que se recomienda actuar con extrema cautela y buscar orientación legal ante cualquier duda.
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