Newport Beach Mayor Will O'Neill has publicly expressed his discontent with California's sanctuary state policy following the detention of 21 migrants who arrived on a boat near Newport Beach last week. The migrants, intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard one mile west of Newport Beach, included a Russian national and two nationals from Uzbekistan in addition to 18 Mexicans, reported FOX 11.
Voicing concern over the state's SB 54 legislation that forbids local resources from aiding federal immigration enforcement, Mayor O'Neill urged lawmakers to rethink their stance. "Get your act together. You cannot continue to treat every city in California like a border city," O'Neill stated, signaling his disapproval of the policies that, in his view, facilitate such illegal entry attempts. SB 54, which became law in 2018, limits state and local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration authorities and restricts immigration enforcement activities in places like schools, hospitals, and courthouses, according to NBC Los Angeles.
The recent incident highlights a continuing tension between state sanctuary policies and the responsibility of local authorities to manage the effects of such legislation within their communities. The Newport Beach City Council had unanimously opposed SB 54 back in 2017, and the mayor has since reiterated his stand against it, strongly criticizing the law for limiting local police and the Orange County Sheriff's Department from cooperating with federal immigration officials.
This occurrence is not an isolated one, as Newport Beach has reportedly experienced similar situations earlier in the year. "Figure this out, because we are having real problems affecting real people in your cities all across California," O'Neill told the New York Post in an interview. These incidents have fueled debate over the impact of sanctuary policies and how they intersect with local authorities' ability to ensure safety and uphold the law within their jurisdictions.
Following the latest apprehension, the 21 migrants were handed over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. When FOX 11 reached out for a comment about their current status, no response was received. The episode further joins the chorus of voices in cities across the state that are calling for a reassessment of California's approach to immigration policy.
