In the wake of a controversial federal immigration raid that occurred last weekend at a South Park restaurant, Paloma Aguirre, a candidate for the county board of supervisors, has softened her previous stance on a contentious county immigration policy.
During an interview with KPBS on Monday, Aguirre expressed her support for the county’s ‘super sanctuary’ policy. This policy prohibits county employees from assisting federal deportation efforts, even in cases involving immigrants who have been convicted of violent felonies.
Aguirre stated, “I don’t want to see, in any shape or form, our county resources being used to do [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] work.”
This marks a significant shift from her comments made in January during an interview with Voice of San Diego, where she labeled the county’s sanctuary policy as “a mistake.” At that time, Aguirre emphasized the need for community safety, arguing that releasing convicted felons could jeopardize residents’ well-being.
Other candidates in the supervisor race, such as Chula Vista Mayor John McCann and San Diego City Councilmember Vivian Moreno, voiced their opposition to the sanctuary policy around the same time.
When confronted with the apparent change in Aguirre’s views, her campaign consultant, Dan Rottenstreich, clarified that Aguirre had not fundamentally altered her stance. Instead, he explained that her previous criticism stemmed from the manner in which the policy was adopted, which he claimed was done without cooperating with Sheriff Kelly Martinez.
Rottenstreich remarked, “Aguirre did not support [the policy] at the time because it was done in conflict with the sheriff and in challenge to her statutory authority.” He added that Aguirre still stands by her earlier comments, stating that disagreement with the process does not necessitate a repeal of the policy itself.
The South Park area, where the recent raid took place, is located within the northern boundary of supervisorial District 1. Aguirre is currently running to fill the District 1 seat, which became vacant after the sudden resignation of former supervisor Nora Vargas last year. Following a primary vote in April, Aguirre and McCann emerged as the remaining candidates, with the general election set for July 1.
Interestingly, Aguirre garnered the highest support in South Park during the primary, winning 58 percent of the votes in that neighborhood, surpassing her performance in other areas such as Imperial Beach, where she received 48 percent.
A day after the raid, Aguirre issued a statement condemning the operation, describing it as “an over-the-top, militarized show of force.” She criticized the tactics employed during the raid, including the use of flash-bang grenades and assault rifles by immigration agents. To reinforce her campaign message, Aguirre has scheduled a campaign appearance in South Park this Saturday.
In contrast, McCann has consistently opposed the super sanctuary policy throughout his campaign. He has previously stated that while county employees should refrain from participating in federal immigration enforcement, the county should not impede the efforts to deport individuals convicted of violent crimes.
McCann has emphasized that county supervisors should remain focused on essential services including budgets, healthcare, and land use decisions, rather than getting embroiled in politically charged issues beyond their control. During a recent campaign appearance, he asserted, “At the county, I’ll focus on core services, not pet projects.”
image source from：https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/06/04/aguirre-shifts-on-sanctuary-policy/
