New State Laws Go Into Effect To Protect Immigrants
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- State lawmakers worked overtime to make sure new laws go into effect Monday to protect undocumented immigrants living in California.
They passed the Sanctuary State bill which limits the amount of cooperation given between state and local law enforcement officers and the federal Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
While the bill's impact is local, it was ignited a national debate, putting the state at odds with President Donald Trump.
"In Sanctuary States and cities, innocent Americans are at the mercy of criminal aliens because state and local officials defy federal authority and obstruct the enforcement of immigration laws," Trump said.
"He (Trump) claims sanctuary policies make cities more dangerous," countered California Senate Pro Tempore Kevin De Leon. "I think the President needs to read up. Because he's wrong about immigrants, and he's wrong about what makes our communities safer."
The legislature also passed a bill preventing landlords from reporting their undocumented renters. Oakland resident Maria Estrada testified before lawmakers about her experience after asking her landlord for repairs.
"After one year, he (her landlord) realized my daughter did not have Social Security number," she said. "And find out she was undocumented. He told my daughter and me, he was going to report us to ICE if we kept complaining."
The penalty for landlords who violate the law is equivalent to 6-to-12 months of rent plus attorney's fees.
Then there is AB 450 - it prevents employers from cooperating with ICE.
"We wouldn't be here talking about this bill, AB 450, if Donald Trump had not declared war on workers," said San Francisco Assemblyman David Chui. "If he had not declared war on immigrants."
The law says employers have to instant on a warrant before they let ICE onto a work site and get a subpoena before releasing any personal information.