Officials in Santa Ana – Orange County’s only sanctuary city – are proposing a new law to ban local police officers from working a second job as an ICE agent almost a year since widespread deportation sweeps ramped up in the region.
It comes as a proposed state law – AB 1537 – also looks to prohibit local and state law enforcement officers from moonlighting with ICE, Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security and other federal immigration enforcement agencies.
At the 5:30 p.m. city council meeting Tuesday, Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Councilman Phil Bacerra – whose campaigns were heavily supported by the local police union – are calling for staff to prepare a law barring officers from also working immigration related jobs.
“Maintaining clear boundaries between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement is critical to ensuring that all residents feel safe reporting crimes, accessing services, and engaging with public safety personnel,” reads their request.
At the same meeting, Councilmembers Johnathan Hernandez and Ben Vazquez are also calling for a resolution to support a state bill dubbed “No Side Jobs for ICE Act” that would also prohibit local officers from working an immigration enforcement related job on the side.
They say that while state law – SB 54 – bars local law enforcement from aiding in federal immigration enforcement it does not ban them from working for ICE when they are off duty.
“This gap has allowed officers to work secondary or part-time employment directly for ICE, DHS, or private contractors involved in immigration enforcement—effectively circumventing the intent of SB 54 and other sanctuary protections,” reads Hernandez and Vazquez’s request.
“This loophole is especially concerning in the current climate. The federal administration has committed $75 billion in taxpayer dollars toward an agenda of mass deportation, including active, well-funded recruitment efforts and advertising specifically targeting local law enforcement officers in California.”
According to Amezcua’s and Bacerra’s request, the city hired 86 officers between 2023 and 2025 and none of them came from the Department of Homeland Security.
Under a city police policy, officers must get approval from the police chief and human resources to work a second job.
John Kachirisky, president of the Santa Ana Police Officers Association, said union members are not allowed to work for other law enforcement agencies.
“The Santa Ana Police Officers Association does not participate in the hiring process for any potential employees of the Santa Ana Police Department. Members are prohibited from holding employment at any other law enforcement agency,” he said in a Friday email statement.
Police Chief Robert Rodriguez did not respond to emailed questions Friday as to whether any current police officers are working immigration enforcement related jobs as well.
Last year, his department and elected officials faced intense scrutiny for their response to protests against ICE’s sweeping deportations including firing off over 300 less lethal rounds and tear gas at protestors in four days.
The response cost the city nearly $400,000 and was criticized by many residents, activists and a couple of city council members as excessive. They also raised concerns about local officers standing side by side with federal agents.
In April, Rodriguez publicly answered questions about last June’s ICE protests, saying they accepted federal calls for assistance for fear of federal officers bringing out their own reinforcements to deal with protesters.
[Read: Santa Ana Police Called to Aid Federal Officers Before Firing on ICE Protesters Last Year]
Since those protests last summer, officials in most Orange County cities have not taken any official action either in support of their immigrant residents or in support of federal enforcement.
In Santa Ana, leaders rolled out and renewed an immigration aid fund, bolstered their legal defense fund and shared immigration resources on their website.
[Read: Many Orange County Cities Stay Silent on ICE Raids]
In their proposal, Hernandez and Vazquez say banning officers from working for ICE will help retain local trust in the police department and ensure public safety especially in a sanctuary city.
“When residents cannot distinguish between local police acting in their official capacity and those same officers working for ICE on the side, community trust is shattered.”
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org.