*This article has been updated based on new information*
El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells will introduce a resolution today to "support federal deportation efforts for criminals" despite a backlash from some members of the public.
"For too long, California's Sanctuary State policies have protected illegal criminals at the expense of law-abiding citizens," Wells posted on X Tuesday morning. "These policies prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with federal authorities, allowing dangerous individuals to remain in our community and country. That must change.
"I am proposing that our city will work with -- not against -- federal immigration enforcement to ensure that criminals who pose a risk to our residents are removed."
Wells previously told News Nation that he wants El Cajon police to assist federal immigration officers in addressing the “invasion” at the southern border. However, California law prohibits local law enforcement from assisting immigration authorities in most situations.
“We have the federal government saying we could be prosecuted if we don’t cooperate with them, and the state government saying our police could be prosecuted if they do cooperate,” Wells said.
Thousands of undocumented immigrants have been arrested during immigration raids across U.S. cities over the past week. Those cities include San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Diego. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents were also recently spotted in Santa Barbara and Goleta.
The Trump administration has said it is currently targeting migrants who have committed crimes. Yet out of the 1,179 people who were arrested Sunday, just 613 were considered “criminal arrests."