California became the first “sanctuary state” for undocumented immigrants on Friday, a decision criticised by the Trump administration which believes the move will compromise security.
California’s Governor, Democrat Jerry Brown, signed the landmark legislation — Senate Bill 54 (SB54) — which grants better protections to people who are in the U.S. without permission, including those who have committed crimes.
It also limits cooperation between local police forces and federal authorities in operations to track down undocumented immigrants.
The legislation, which will come into effect on January 1, 2018, is part of a series of laws which protect the almost three million undocumented immigrants living in California — most of whom are from Mexico and Central America.
Mr. Brown insisted in his signing statement the measure will not “prevent or prohibit Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the Department of Homeland Security from doing their own work in any way” — but it will stop local authorities from assisting.
“They are free to use their own considerable resources to enforce federal immigration law in California,” he wrote, adding that the new legislation will not deny ICE access to prisons.
But in a statement, ICE acting director Tom Homan responded: “The Governor is simply wrong.”
The law will “undermine public safety and hinder ICE from performing its federally mandated mission”, Mr. Homan said.
A number of cities in California, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, have already banned police officers from collaborating with ICE on operations to capture undocumented immigrants.
