The mayor of Newport Beach, a prosperous coastal city in California, has voiced strong criticism of the state’s Democratic lawmakers, accusing them of enabling unchecked illegal immigration. His frustration follows the recent apprehension of 21 migrants near the city’s shores.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Coast Guard detained 18 Mexican nationals, two individuals from Uzbekistan, and one from Russia approximately a mile off Newport Beach. The migrants were later handed over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill directly blamed the state’s sanctuary laws for the situation, highlighting the potential risks these policies pose to public safety and local finances.
“The policy in (the state capital) Sacramento is so extreme, that they are actually protecting people who are known criminals who are in the country illegally,” O’Neill remarked.
California’s Controversial Sanctuary Law
Known as the “California Values Act” or SB 54, the sanctuary state law prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration agencies. Signed into law in 2017 by then-Governor Jerry Brown, it also restricts immigration enforcement actions in spaces like schools, hospitals, and courthouses.
O’Neill noted that Newport Beach lawmakers opposed SB 54 from the outset. He added that in recent years, many migrants have opted to bypass traditional southern border crossings, instead using boats to enter the state.
Growing Challenges on the Coastline
In May, local news reported an incident involving 20 suspected illegal immigrants walking onto a Newport Harbor pier before dispersing into the city. O’Neill emphasized that under current laws, local authorities would be powerless if a similar incident occurred again.
“If the boat with the 21 migrants had made its way into the harbor and was stopped by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, which patrols the area, local law enforcement would have been powerless to do anything,” he explained.
A Divided Debate on Immigration Policies
California Governor Gavin Newsom has staunchly defended the sanctuary state policies, arguing they protect immigrant communities and foster economic contributions.
In a statement, Newsom’s office claimed that most migrants prefer settling in other states like Texas and Florida, indicating that “anti-immigrant state-level policies do not deter migration.” The statement also criticized Republicans for failing to pass a bipartisan border security bill, which Newsom argued could have bolstered federal resources and introduced stricter immigration protocols.
The proposed measure, however, faced significant opposition from GOP leaders who believed it would worsen the border crisis.
Public Safety Concerns Escalate
Despite SB 54’s intended safeguards, exemptions allow local law enforcement to collaborate with ICE to detain individuals convicted of felonies after serving prison sentences. However, Newsom has previously vetoed attempts to eliminate these exemptions, a point of contention for critics like O’Neill.
The mayor lamented the broader impacts of Newsom’s leadership, citing increases in crime, homelessness, and declining quality of life across the state.
“Gavin Newsom is trying to Trump-proof California. We here in Orange County are trying to Newsom-proof Orange County,” he asserted, pointing to Orange County’s efforts to resist Sacramento’s policies.
A Broader Political Standoff
Republican Assemblyman Bill Essayli criticized California Democrats for resisting federal policies while enforcing their own with little tolerance for dissent.
“They don’t tolerate any dissent to any of their policies at all,” Essayli said, accusing Newsom of hypocrisy.
Earlier this month, Los Angeles officially codified its sanctuary city guidelines into law, reinforcing its stance against federal immigration raids. During a council meeting, Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez stated that the law ensures residents can “interact with our government without the fear that Donald Trump’s deportation squad is around the corner.”
As California remains a focal point of the national immigration debate, communities like Newport Beach are pushing back, seeking to regain control over their local policies and public safety.
