Sacramento, Calif. • The head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says California’s so-called “sanctuary state” bill that would limit police cooperation with federal immigration authorities prioritizes politics over public safety.
Acting Director Thomas Homan says in a statement Saturday that the legislation “serves to codify a dangerous policy that deliberately obstructs our country’s immigration laws.”
The bill was approved in the Legislature earlier Saturday and is intended to bolster immigrant protections in the state that are already among the toughest in the nation. It was the latest effort by Democratic lawmakers in California to create barriers for President Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to step up deportation efforts.
It will now be considered by Gov. Jerry Brown.
Homan says if the governor signs the legislation it will “make California communities less safe.”