(CalMatters) — For 20 nights every year, police from UC San Diego depart from their usual school rounds and patrol the shores of La Jolla, Black’s Beach, and Torrey Pines. Powered by overtime pay provided by the federal Department of Homeland Security, the officers look for people crossing the border.
UC San Diego police have long participated in the federal Department of Homeland Security program known as Operation Stonegarden, which provides $10.9 million annually to dozens of California law enforcement agencies to collaborate with Border Patrol. The practice continued through Democratic and Republican administrations, and after the state adopted a sanctuary law in 2017 restricting law enforcement collaboration with immigration enforcement.
Now, UC San Diego is participating in the program at a time of heightened immigration enforcement by the Border Patrol. The school warns students about the locations of Border Patrol checkpoints on its website. Dozens of students had their visas revoked and later reinstated last year and at least one was detained at the border…