President Trump is seeking to increase deportations across the U.S. through an executive order signed Jan. 20. Part of that order calls on local law enforcement to assist in finding and detaining undocumented immigrants.
But a California bill that went into effect during the first Trump administration makes that illegal.
SB 54 prohibits police and sheriffs from aiding federal immigration officers in most circumstances, and bars local law enforcement from arresting someone on a deportation order alone.
North State Public Radio asked 14 police chiefs in the region how they plan to respond to the Trump administration’s request for assistance with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Here’s how they responded.
NSPR reached out to the police chiefs by email, website contact form, and phone number listed on their websites. If no response was received, we looked for recent statements regarding immigration enforcement.
Conflicting directions from high-level officials
A memo released to employees of the U.S. Department of Justice outlines how the Trump administration plans to get assistance from state and local officials.
This includes investigating incidents involving officials who resist enforcement efforts, and potentially taking legal action against state and local laws.
“The Supremacy Clause and other authorities require state and local actors to comply with the Executive Branch’s immigration enforcement efforts,” the memo states.
Two days after the memo was released, California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta joined 13 other AGs to release a statement saying the federal government cannot ask police officers to assist in immigration enforcement.
“The U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal laws,” the statement read.
Other law enforcement in the North State
CalMatters asked California sheriffs about how they’d respond at the beginning of the Trump administration. Some gave unclear answers, but most said they will follow California law.
Two sheriffs have stated plans that are likely to be challenged in court.
Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside told Fox News that he would “[work] somehow around SB 54.” While Amador County Sheriff Gary Redman said he would contact immigration officials after arresting someone who entered the country illegally.
Under SB 54, Redman can only reach out to immigration officials when the person is about to be released from custody, not after an arrest.
A California bill proposed in December sought to block state prison systems from working with federal immigration officials, which is currently another one of the few kinds of cooperation allowed between local and federal officials under California law.
The bill was amended on Feb. 24 and would no longer prevent that if it were to pass.
