Los Angeles law enforcement officials are pushing back against a new federal immigration push to add more resources in sanctuary cities as the Trump administration continues to target those migrants who have entered the U.S. without legal documents.
The relationship between ICE and many local law enforcement agencies has long been fraught. Since Trump took office, it has grown only more tenuous as police grapple with maintaining communication with ICE while also balancing transparency with community and civic leaders.
Those tensions are especially evident in California, where local law enforcement must abide by a “sanctuary” law, Senate Bill 54, which went into effect last year to provide protection for immigrants in the country illegally. In L.A., the police department stopped engaging in joint operations with ICE that directly involve civil immigration enforcement and no longer transfers people with certain minor criminal convictions to ICE custody.
In the latest flash point, U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to deploy 50 Border Patrol agents and 50 field operations customs officers in nine areas, according to the agency. Specially trained officers will be sent to cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
Read the full story on LATimes.com.
Regardless of your immigration status, I want every Angeleno to know your city is on your side. Here in Los Angeles, our police department does not coordinate with ICE or participate in immigration enforcement.
Know your rights: https://t.co/2zfY8lUAyn pic.twitter.com/nYf1fXhBnU
— Mayor Eric Garcetti (@MayorOfLA) February 15, 2020
Please refer to my statement below regarding the deployment of Border Patrol Tactical Units to so called sanctuary cities. I strongly oppose this irresponsible deployment of federal SWAT agents in @CountyofLA for civil immigration enforcement.https://t.co/4p4WQdgJme pic.twitter.com/z2SW8iGqTw
— Alex Villanueva (@LACoSheriff) February 14, 2020