Vice President JD Vance appeared to be headed to Orange County Friday on an unofficial visit that sparked comments from two Orange County supervisors on how best to engage the Trump administration.
Will O’Neill, the chairman of the Orange County Republican Party, said he was told the vice president was in the county with family in a visit that was not political.
Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner said county officials were alerted that a VIP was going to land at John Wayne Airport on Friday.
Orange County Vicente Sarmiento said he wouldn’t be opposed to meeting with Vance if he chose to engage in an official visit, but only if Vance was willing to discuss the concerns of his constituents about the continued immigration crackdowns here.
The immigration enforcement efforts are “terrorizing residents and shuttering our businesses and making people live in fear,” Sarmiento said.
Sarmiento said he considers some of the enforcement actions “constitutional abuses” as many of those arrested are “abducted” and then deported without any due process hearings. The result is many residents fear patronizing local businesses or engaging in any public activities, Sarmiento said.
“We have businesses barely hanging on,” Sarmiento said.
First the businesses were hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic and then had to cope with construction for the streetcar system.
“Many are saying now they’re at the end of the line,” Sarmiento said.
Supervisor Don Wagner said he understands the concerns raised about the way some of the immigration enforcement actions have rolled out and has questions himself. But he said it is counterproductive to slam a top elected leader out of hand.
“When (former President Joe) Biden came here, despite my policy disagreements, I attended an event and didn’t protest and didn’t put out a statement” critical of Biden, Wagner said. “Because I think dialogue is better than just saying `stay away.’ ”
Wagner added, “Like it or not he’s the vice president and we have questions for the administration.”
Wagner said he would like to know what “criteria (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is using” to target people for arrest.
“How bad are the people they’re picking up and are there worse folks they’re letting go?” Wagner said. “We don’t know that. Help us understand.”