DHS responds to county report on immigration detention surge
Aug 18, 2026·Location: San Diego, CA
Country of origin: Mexico

San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez transferred 83 inmates to ICE custody in 2025, nearly tripling the 30 transfers made in 2024. The increase was driven by 53 federal ICE warrants, many issued under Operation Guardian Angel, a federal initiative using judicial warrants to bypass sanctuary law limits. The transfers included individuals with both violent and nonviolent convictions, and approximately 30 violated county policy. Community members, immigrant advocates, and some supervisors urged Martinez to end ICE cooperation, but she defended the practice as safer than community-based enforcement and declined to change the policy.
Sources
- DHS responds to county report of steep increase in immigration detentions
10news.com·Mar 15, 2026·archived copy
KPBS·Mar 16, 2026·archived copy
- DHS Responds to San Diego County Report of Steep Increase in Immigration Detentions
- DHS Denies County Accusations Of Substandard Conditions In Immigration Detention
patch.com·Mar 16, 2026·archived copy
- Why a private company is investigating rapes at an ICE detention center instead of the sheriff
hsjchronicle.com·Mar 29, 2026·archived copy
- Sheriff not investigating 7 reported rapes at Otay Mesa detention center - East County Magazine
eastcountymagazine.org·Mar 28, 2026·archived copy
- edhat.com
- Why a Private Company Is Investigating Rapes at an ICE Detention Center Instead of the Sheriff - Davis Vanguard
davisvanguard.org·Mar 25, 2026·archived copy
- San Diego Sheriff’s inmate transfers to ICE spiked in 2025
KPBS·Apr 1, 2026·archived copy
- San Diego County Sheriff’s Office nearly tripled number of inmates sent to ICE custody
- Records show San Diego Sheriff might have violated sanctuary law
KPBS·Mar 6, 2025·archived copy
- County ends gun range agreements with ICE and CBP
daylightsandiego.org·Aug 20, 2026·archived copy
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