Sacramento DA running for Congress claims credit over ICE refusals. Does he play any role?

Mathew Miranda, The Sacramento Bee on May 19, 2026

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As he campaigns for Congress, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho has touted himself as the region’s defender against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

“When Donald Trump and ICE wanted my office to help their lawless raids, I said ‘Hell no, not on my watch,’” Ho said at a candidate forum last month.

He repeated the statement in a Facebook video earlier this month. A recent campaign mailer also credited Ho for refusing to allow law enforcement assist with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “lawless deportations.”

But in reality, Ho has no authority over whether law enforcement agencies cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

California’s “sanctuary state” law, signed in October 2017, already restricts state and local law enforcement agencies from using resources to assist with federal immigration enforcement.

In Sacramento County, both the county Sheriff’s Office and city’s Police Department have repeatedly cited the law as the reason they cannot participate in immigration enforcement actions, even as the Trump administration has threatened to prosecute local officials who refuse to cooperate with federal authorities.

In response to questions about Ho’s role, sheriff spokesperson Sgt. Edward Igoe said “limitations are based on legal requirements,” policy and “not the involvement or direction of any other individuals outside of the Sheriff’s Office.”

“The Sheriff’s Office has not declined any ICE request for assistance with deportation-related operations due to involvement from DA Ho,” Igoe said in his written statement.

Sacramento Police did not directly answer questions about Ho’s role. Instead, an agency spokesperson reiterated that California law prohibits local agencies from participating in federal civil immigration enforcement.

Ho did not respond to multiple requests for an interview about his role in the county’s policies regarding ICE cooperation and the circumstances surrounding when his office told ICE no.

His campaign spokesperson Zachary Cohen sent The Sacramento Bee a written statement from Ho, which said: “Since 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.”

Ho also called on one of his opponents Rep. Kevin Kiley to join him in following state law.

“Unlike some other MAGA local officials in California, I know that assisting ICE would violate California law, risk our community’s safety and help Trump inhumanely tear families apart,” Ho said.

Ho and Kiley are among several high-profile candidates running in California’s 6th Congressional District. Other candidates are former California state Sen. Richard Pan, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero and Planned Parenthood Mar Monte leader Lauren Babb Tomlinson.

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.

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