One of California’s most multicultural cities could soon support Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies, which contradict Governor Gavin Newsom’s pledge to protect migrants.
The El Cajon City Council in San Diego County debated a motion that would revoke its sanctuary city status and support the mass deportations that Trump has pledged to implement in his second term, which begins next week.
The president-elect vowed to implement a multibillion-dollar mass deportation plan targeting the millions of people living in the US illegally.
While the broader state of California is largely against the proposal, Mayor Bill Wells said it’s simply a matter of “continuing to comply with federal law.”
“This is not about taking our police force and turning them into border patrol agents, this is about working with the federal government and following the law,” he said.
“The intention is not to take over our police and have people arrested, that is not the intention at all.”
The latest census data in El Cajun shows the city’s population is 106,000: 87.6 percent are citizens and 28.7 percent were born outside the country.
According to minutes of the discussion, council members discussed “the possibility of declaring the city of El Cajon a non-sanctuary city.”
One of California’s most multicultural cities could soon support Donald Trump’s mass deportation policy, contradicting Governor Gavin Newsom’s pledge

The president-elect vowed to implement a multibillion-dollar mass deportation plan targeting the millions of people living in the US illegally.
As it stands, California’s Sanctuary City laws limit cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement, who cannot ask about someone’s immigration status or alert officials about a detainee’s release date.
The city of Los Angeles confirmed its sanctuary status in late December, with Mayor Karen Bass declaring that “immigrant protection makes our communities stronger and our city better.”
Another part of the discussion was the outspoken opposition to “arresting ‘good’ citizens who are in the city illegally.”
According to the minutes, the resolution states, “The city remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of its residents, especially those most vulnerable to criminal activity such as human trafficking and drug distribution.”
In a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta of Wells, he explained his concerns about Senate Bill 54, which limits the powers of a local police force to investigate, detain or arrest people for immigration violations.
“While we appreciate the underlying purpose of SB 54, the new federal administration has a very different position on the issue,” he wrote.
‘This disagreement translates into a precarious legal position for cities, municipal council members, city management and public safety personnel.
“The City Council recognizes that immigration enforcement is a complex and sensitive issue that touches on fundamental principles of state and federal jurisdiction, public safety, and trust within our community.

Migrants attempt to cross a fence at the US-Mexico border. As it stands, California’s Sanctuary City laws limit cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement, who cannot ask about a person’s immigration status or alert officials about a detainee’s release date.

People hold signs during a San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 in San Diego

Trump won the presidential election after a campaign that promised widespread deportations of undocumented migrants and a return to expedited deportations to Mexico
“The City expresses its deep concern about its impact on protecting residents from individuals involved in criminal activity, including gang involvement, human trafficking and drug distribution.
“These activities pose a serious threat to public safety, especially to vulnerable populations within our community.”
Wells cited a 2024 Immigration and Customs Enforcement report that suggested “there could be as many as 435,000 convicted criminals living illegally in the U.S., many for violent crimes such as abuse, sexual assault, prostitution, human trafficking and child exploitation.”
“It is unknown how many of these individuals are in El Cajon or the San Diego area,” he said, “but if some of them are here, they pose a serious threat to our community.”
In the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, local governments have candidly pledged that they will not assist federal agencies seeking to increase deportations.


While the broader state of California is largely against the proposal, Mayor Bill Wells said it’s simply a matter of “continuing to comply with federal law.” It directly contradicts Governor Gavin Newsom’s promise to “Trump-proof” state laws
California Governor Gavin Newsom sensationally demanded the state “Trump-proof” its laws after Trump won a second term.
Trump won the presidential election after a campaign that promised widespread deportations of undocumented migrants and a return to expedited deportations to Mexico, in addition to halting access across the U.S. border with Mexico.
The president-elect’s proposed immigration policy also includes ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants.
During his previous administration, between 2017 and 2021, Trump implemented policies that left hundreds of thousands of migrants stranded in camps along the Mexican border, reshaping U.S. immigration policy.