California Sanctuary Laws Jeopardize Migrant Child Safety, Critics Allege

Goble had asked Bonta’s office in a March 2025 letter whether local police could conduct the checks using contact information provided by federal authorities, writing that the city wanted to ensure all children were safe “regardless of citizenship or resident status.” In the letter, Goble cited the inspector general’s concerns that unaccompanied minors are at heightened risk of trafficking, exploitation and forced labor, and wrote that “time is of the essence” in determining whether the children were safe.

Meanwhile, Bonta’s office responded in a June 2025 letter, warning that local law enforcement pursuing wellness checks “alongside or based on information provided by federal immigration authorities” could implicate conduct prohibited by SB 54, known as the California Values Act. Bonta’s letter said these violations could include if officers confirmed location information provided by ICE, or reported the results of the check back to federal immigration authorities. But Goble told Fox News Digital that the city was not asking police to act as immigration agents, but primarily wanted to confirm whether the children are safe.