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 throughout the listening to he wouldn’t accomplish that 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 problem 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 Scorching Springs after crossing the US-Mexico border on June 13, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Qian Weizhong/VCG by way of Getty Pictures)
“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 here to serve all of our communities, immigration is not a factor in how we deal with any individual or any group of people in any of our communities, the way we’re successful as a police organization is if when a crime occurs people are willing to come forward as a witness, as a victim, and be able to be part of the criminal justice process to hold people accountable for their crimes.
The Trust Act became law in California in 2014, after being signed by then Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, and limits the amount of time and reasons ICE hold requests can be honored by local jails.
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Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he arrives to speak at a campaign event at Nassau Coliseum, Wednesday, Sept.18, 2024, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
A Cato Institute report in 2018 concluded that deportations went down in the city of Los Angeles after the Trust Act and dropped 39% while the rest of the country experienced a 9% drop.
McDonnell told Rodriguez he will be “very clear” about these immigration positions to whoever he talks to, regardless of “what we hear as a part of the rhetoric of political discourse.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the LAPD asking whether McDonnell believes it is “flawed” to deport criminal illegal aliens and whether his department would assist in that effort but did not receive a response.
“If they are not keen to assist, then get the hell out of the best way as a result of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)] goes to do their job,” Tom Homan, who was acting ICE director during the first Trump administration and was recently named “border czar” under Trump, told Fox News Digital in an interview on Friday about jurisdictions that oppose a deportation effort.
Homan also pledged that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would be empowered to go after the 425,000 illegal immigrants convicted of crimes and currently roaming free in the United States, according to a recent ICE report.
“We’re going to go get them,” Homan told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
“And I noticed at this time quite a few governors from sanctuary states saying they’re going to step in the best way. They higher get the hell out of the best way. Both you assist us or get the hell out of the best way, as a result of ICE goes to do their job. We’re going to take {the handcuffs} off ICE that the Biden Administration placed on them and let ICE do what they do, what they do finest,” he added.
Fox News Digital’s Kristine Parks contributed to this report
