San Diego County’s board of supervisors, which has passed a resolution to become a “super sanctuary,” is getting a reality check from the county sheriff, who bluntly clarified that the measure has no bearing on her office’s immigration enforcement. 

“The Sheriff respects Chairwoman Vargas and the members of the Board of Supervisors; however, she has been clear on her position on this matter,” Sheriff Kelly Martinez stated on Tuesday night. “The Board of Supervisors does not set policy for the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff, as an independently elected official, sets the policy for the Sheriff’s Office.” 

Ms. Martinez added: “The Sheriff’s Office will not change its practices based on the Board resolution and policy that was passed at today’s meeting.” 

The “super sanctuary” resolution, which was approved by a 3-1 vote, seeks to prevent federal officials from using county resources including jails, county buildings, and personnel for immigration enforcement. It also calls on county agencies to stop cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement on civil immigration issues, including providing notifications when undocumented immigrants convicted of certain felony crimes are released from custody. 

It comes just weeks before President-elect Trump, who has called for mass deportations of illegal immigrants, beginning with those who pose “public safety threats,” is set to return to office for a second term. 

The policy, according to the board’s chairwoman, Nora Vargas, “is designed to ensure local resources are focused on addressing the County’s most urgent needs, while protecting families and promoting community trust.”

The lone dissenter, Jim Desmond, called the “radical policy” an “affront to every law-abiding citizen who values safety and justice” and denounced the measure for effectively shielding illegal immigrants from deportation who have “committed violent and heinous crimes” including rape, assault, child abuse, and more. 

“This decision places the interests of illegal immigrant criminals above the safety of American citizens,” he wrote in his scathing statement. “It sends a clear message to law-abiding residents: your safety is less important than political posturing.” He further pledged to “fight relentlessly” to reverse the measure. 

Sheriff Martinez, meanwhile, has pledged to continue to “follow state law” which she says “strikes the right balance between limiting local law enforcement’s cooperation with immigration authorities, ensuring public safety, and building community trust.” 

Under the county sheriff department’s current policy, federal immigration officials “may be allowed access to Sheriff’s booking facilities for the purpose of conducting screenings and interviews of those suspected of violating federal immigration laws.” The sheriff’s office also has permission to share release dates for individuals who have qualifying convictions for specific violent crimes.