California became an official sanctuary state at the start of 2018, and at least one prankster mockingly marked the occasion with fake “Welcome” road signs.
The California Department of Transportation confirmed the discovery of five official-looking signs declaring the state as an “official sanctuary state,” the Washington Examiner reported Jan. 2. The signs are posted underneath official “Welcome to California” highway signs and appear genuine.
There were no reports of the identity of the prankster or pranksters.
A sanctuary city, or state, is one in which federal immigration policies will not be honored.
One sign posted on Interstate 15 at Mountain Pass near the California-Nevada border has been taken down, California Department of Transportation spokesman Mark Dinger told the Washington Examiner. There was no word on the fate of the other fake signs.
The Alternative News Media’s Instagram page showed a photo of one of the signs, which reads, “OFFICIAL SANCTUARY STATE Felons, Illegals and MS13 Welcome! Democrats Need The Votes!” The state seal and a logo with the Democratic Party’s donkey mascot adorn the fake signs as well.
The law that took effect on Jan. 1 prevents police from asking people about their immigration status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities in most cases, Fox News reported. California has an estimated 2.3 million illegal immigrants.
