The revelation of the transfers caused an uproar in San Bernardino County where County Supervisor Gary Ovitt told the Los Angeles Times that his community was "no one's dumping ground."

The Times said the controversy came to light after eight undocumented drug dealers walked away from a group home in Yucaipa.

The newspaper said San Francisco declared itself a sanctuary city in 1989 and kept juvenile offenders out of the reach of federal immigration authorities. Mayor Gavin Newsome announced Wednesday he would work with San Francisco County officials to end that practice.