California's sanctuary laws are facing renewed scrutiny following the killing of a Sacramento waitress, Shalini Thakur, who was allegedly stalked and murdered by an undocumented immigrant, Rohit Rohit. Federal prosecutors argue that these laws prevented local police from notifying immigration officials about the suspect, despite his history of alleged stalking and previous encounters with federal authorities.
Thakur, 38, was killed on Tuesday, according to reports. She had filed a restraining order against Rohit, 22, in May after a year of alleged harassment. Despite Rohit reportedly violating that order in July, Sacramento police were prohibited by California laws, enacted in 2017, from contacting federal immigration authorities, said Bill Essayli, a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles. Rohit was previously apprehended by Border Patrol in August 2023 while attempting to cross the Mexican border.
Essayli stated that by restricting law enforcement's ability to cooperate with immigration officials in all contexts, "it puts the entire community at danger." He added that such laws should not require individuals to commit a crime and be sentenced before immigration proceedings can begin.
Essayli's office operates "Operation Guardian Angel," a program initiated in May 2025 that aims to circumvent state limitations by targeting repeat immigration offenders apprehended by local police. This operation has resulted in 769 arrest warrants and the transfer of 362 defendants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody as of August. However, the program is currently limited to Los Angeles and six other counties and only applies in specific circumstances.
The incident has drawn criticism from Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, who contends that the laws, supported by Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra, enable the harboring of criminals. The article also cites other cases where individuals with criminal records, including alleged murder and assault, were reportedly released by judges after being apprehended on new charges, including David Antonio Aviles Perez, Oscar Eduardo Ortega-Anguiano, Daniel Valle, and Lauro Alberto Rivas. IMAGE3 IMAGE9 
