The newly confirmed chief of the Los Angeles Police Division made it clear throughout a latest listening to that his division will “not assist” with the “mass deportations” in feedback that sparked social media backlash.
“Since my appearance before the committee on public safety, the national election has caused many Angelenos to feel a deep, deep fear, especially in the immigrant community,” new LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell mentioned at a November 8 metropolis council assembly earlier than being sworn in because the division’s 59th chief.
“I have met with members of the community and heard that fear. We also heard some of that just now at public comment. I know we’ll speak more about immigration later in this hearing, but I want to be unequivocally clear here in my opening comments,” McDonnell continued. “LAPD will protect our immigrant community, LAPD officers will not take action to determine a person’s immigration status, and will not arrest someone for their status, and LAPD will not assist with mass deportations.”
McDonnell went on to say that Los Angeles is a “city of immigrants.”
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“I know immigrants are being disparaged right now,” McDonnell mentioned. “But I want the people of Los Angeles to know my viewpoint. Our nation was built by immigrants and L.A. is such an extraordinary city because of people here from literally all over the world.”
McDonnell’s feedback sparked criticism from conservatives on social media and a clip of the listening to was posted on X by the favored conservative account LibsofTikTok.
“Who wants to tell him that they’re getting deported whether he likes it or not,” the account posted.
“Time to send in the Feds,” conservative influencer Harrison Krank posted on X.
“Get out of California while you still can!” political commentator Gunther Eagleman posted on X.
McDonnell, whereas beforehand serving as LA County Sheriff throughout Trump’s first time period, labored with federal immigration brokers to deport unlawful alien criminals, Los Angeles Occasions reported, however mentioned in the course of the listening to he wouldn’t achieve this in his present function whereas pointing to particular coverage, together with Particular Order 40, that prohibits it.
McDonnell was pressed within the listening to by Los Angeles Metropolis Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez on the difficulty of immigration pointing to the “seismic shift in the national landscape” and requested him to speak about what “protections are guaranteed” for Los Angeles residents illegally residing within the United States.
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Migrants are processed by the U.S. Border Patrol close to the Jacumba Sizzling Springs after crossing the US-Mexico border on June 13, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Qian Weizhong/VCG through Getty Photographs)
“We don’t stop somebody, we don’t arrest somebody, we don’t deal with people based on their immigration status, everybody gets to be treated equally across the city and so we will continue with that as part of who we are,” McDonnell mentioned within the listening to.
“That’s also bolstered in recent years by the Trust Act and California Values Act in more recent years so the path forward is very clear,” McDonnell mentioned. “LAPD is right here to serve all of our communities, immigration will not be a consider how we take care of any particular person or any group of individuals in any of our communities, the best way we’re profitable as a police group is that if when against the law happens persons are prepared to return ahead as a witness, as a sufferer, and be capable to be a part of the prison justice course of to carry folks accountable for his or her crimes.
The Belief Act grew to become legislation in California in 2014, after being signed by then Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, and limits the period of time and causes ICE maintain requests might be honored by native jails.
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Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he arrives to talk at a marketing campaign occasion at Nassau Coliseum, Wednesday, Sept.18, 2024, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Picture/Alex Brandon)
A Cato Institute report in 2018 concluded that deportations went down within the metropolis of Los Angeles after the Belief Act and dropped 39% whereas the remainder of the nation skilled a 9% drop.
McDonnell advised Rodriguez he will probably be “very clear” about these immigration positions to whoever he talks to, no matter “what we hear as part of the rhetoric of political discourse.”
Fox Information Digital reached out to the LAPD asking whether or not McDonnell believes it’s “wrong” to deport prison unlawful aliens and whether or not his division would help in that effort however didn’t obtain a response.
“If they’re not willing to help, then get the hell out of the way because [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)] is going to do their job,” Tom Homan, who was performing ICE director in the course of the first Trump administration and was not too long ago named “border czar” below Trump, advised Fox Information Digital in an interview on Friday about jurisdictions that oppose a deportation effort.
Homan additionally pledged that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could be empowered to go after the 425,000 unlawful immigrants convicted of crimes and presently roaming free in the US, in line with a latest ICE report.
“We’re going to go get them,” Homan advised Fox Information’ Sean Hannity.
“And I saw today numerous governors from sanctuary states saying they’re going to step in the way. They better get the hell out of the way. Either you help us or get the hell out of the way, because ICE is going to do their job. We’re going to take the handcuffs off ICE that the Biden Administration put on them and let ICE do what they do, what they do best,” he added.
Fox Information Digital’s Kristine Parks contributed to this report
