One of the nation’s largest police forces isn’t supporting Donald Trump’s deportation plans.
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Monday that the force would not change its stance on immigration enforcement, the Los Angeles Times reported. The move is an apparent act of defiance against the president-elect’s promise to deport or imprison up to 3 million undocumented immigrants after his inauguration.
Since 1979, the LAPD has barred officers from contacting people solely to investigate whether they are in the country legally, the LA Times noted. During Beck’s tenure, the department also stopped bringing suspects in minor crimes to federal authorities.
“I don’t intend on doing anything different,” Beck told the newspaper. “We are not going to engage in law enforcement activities solely based on somebody’s immigration status. We are not going to work in conjunction with Homeland Security on deportation efforts. That is not our job, nor will I make it our job.”
The Denver Police Department also weighed in on the matter Monday, saying it would not “participate” in Trump’s efforts, the Denver Channel reported.
“Immigration enforcement is handled at the federal level, not by local law enforcement,” Denver Police spokesman Doug Schepman said in a statement. “The Denver Police Department has not participated in those enforcement efforts in the past and will not be involved in the future.”
In a “60 Minutes” interview that aired Sunday, Trump vowed to immediately deport what he estimated to be millions of immigrants with a criminal record. He previously has said that anyone coming to the country illegally would have to leave.
KCAL 9 pointed out in the news video above that Trump has also threatened so-called “sanctuary cities” ― those perceived as not cooperating with federal deportation efforts ― with cuts in federal funding.
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