<\/p>\n
Candidate Thien Ho gives an opening statement at the District 6 candidate forum, held Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Sacramento\u2019s Benvenuti Performing Arts Center.<\/p>\n
JOS\u00c9 LUIS VILLEGAS<\/p>\n
jvillegas@sacbee.com<\/p>\n
As he campaigns for Congress<\/a>, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho has touted himself as the region\u2019s defender against President Donald Trump\u2019s immigration crackdown.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Donald Trump and ICE wanted my office to help their lawless raids, I said \u2018Hell no, not on my watch,\u2019\u201d Ho said at a candidate forum last month<\/a>.<\/p>\n He repeated the statement in a Facebook video earlier this month<\/a>. A recent campaign mailer also credited Ho for refusing to allow law enforcement assist with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s \u201clawless deportations.\u201d<\/p>\n But in reality, Ho has no authority over whether law enforcement agencies cooperate with federal immigration authorities.<\/p>\n California\u2019s \u201csanctuary state\u201d law, signed in October 2017, already restricts state and local law enforcement agencies<\/a> from using resources to assist with federal immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n In Sacramento County, both the county Sheriff\u2019s Office and city\u2019s Police Department have repeatedly cited the law as the reason they cannot participate in immigration enforcement actions<\/a>, even as the Trump administration has threatened to prosecute local officials who refuse to cooperate with federal authorities.<\/p>\n In response to questions about Ho\u2019s role, sheriff spokesperson Sgt. Edward Igoe said \u201climitations are based on legal requirements,\u201d policy and \u201cnot the involvement or direction of any other individuals outside of the Sheriff\u2019s Office.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Sheriff\u2019s Office has not declined any ICE request for assistance with deportation-related operations due to involvement from DA Ho,\u201d Igoe said in his written statement.<\/p>\n Sacramento Police did not directly answer questions about Ho\u2019s role. Instead, an agency spokesperson reiterated that California law prohibits local agencies from participating in federal civil immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n Loading\u2026<\/p>\n Ho did not respond to multiple requests for an interview about his role in the county\u2019s policies regarding ICE cooperation and the circumstances surrounding when his office told ICE no.<\/p>\n His campaign spokesperson Zachary Cohen sent The Sacramento Bee a written statement from Ho, which said: \u201cSince California law limits the role local agencies can play in federal civil immigration enforcement, I made clear that our office would follow those laws, regardless of political pressure from Trump, ICE or anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n Ho also called on one of his opponents Rep. Kevin Kiley to join him in following state law.<\/p>\n \u201cUnlike some other MAGA local officials in California, I know that assisting ICE would violate California law, risk our community\u2019s safety and help Trump inhumanely tear families apart,\u201d Ho said.<\/p>\n Ho and Kiley are among several high-profile candidates running in California\u2019s 6th Congressional District<\/a>. Other candidates are former California state Sen. Richard Pan, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero and Planned Parenthood Mar Monte leader Lauren Babb Tomlinson.<\/p>\n The 6th District spans from Roseville and Rocklin in the north to West Sacramento in the south. Roseville, Citrus Heights, North Highlands, Natomas, North Sacramento and parts of East Sacramento are also within the boundaries.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n