LA Mayor Expands Protections For Angelenos In US Illegally
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is expanding protections for immigrants in the country illegally.
An executive order signed Tuesday asks city officials to follow the Police Department's policy of not investigating people to determine their immigration status. It applies to the fire chief and chiefs of airport and port police.
The order also bans any city employee from cooperating with federal agents in enforcing federal civil immigration laws unless legally required to do so.
Garcetti marked L.A.'s "Day Of Immigrant Action" by "showing solidarity" with people receiving legal consultation at the downtown offices of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA).
"We feel very secure that it is a violation of the constitution to put a financial gun to the head of any state or city," Garcetti said.
Garcetti says immigrants are the engine of L.A.'s economy, with nearly two out of three residents foreign-born or the children of immigrants.
The mayor has repeatedly expressed his support for state Senate Bill 54, which would prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, thus creating a border-to-border sanctuary "state".
Other local officials including L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell are opposed to the bill.
"I'm in favor of it because it mirrors what we do here in Los Angeles already, but I do think there's probably a couple tweaks that could help the sheriffs and the chiefs of this state," Garcetti has said.
President Trump has threatened to withhold funds from cities that won't cooperate with immigration enforcement.
Garcetti and mayors of dozens of other cities called Tuesday for an overhaul of the nation's immigration system.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
