Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) emphasized that California law enforcement has “no obligation” to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with deportation or identification processes.
During an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” host Major Garrett asked Padilla about President-elect Trump’s promise about mass deportations, which includes declaring an immigration national emergency and possible use of military assets. Garrett mentioned that Trump’s pick for “border czar,” Tom Homan, threatened legal action against law enforcement, which includes funding cuts to any state that refuses to cooperate.
“I think there’s an important distinction here,” Padilla replied. “No state government, not Texas, not California, not any state in the nation has a constitutional authority to impose federal immigration law that is the responsibility of the Federal Government.”
He noted that some states, such as Texas, are pushing to find a way to assist ICE, but “there’s no obligation to do so.”
“We’re not going to utilize state and local resources to do the federal government’s job for them,” Padilla said.
He stressed that the distinction is important for public safety as well.
“California is the most populous state in the nation, the most diverse state in the nation, home to more immigrants than any state in the nation, and the last thing you want to do is have immigrants who are victims of crime afraid to come forward to report that crime,” he said. “The last thing you want is immigrants who may be witnesses to crime to be afraid to come forward and share any information that they have in the investigation and prosecution of crimes.”
“Let the federal government do the federal government’s job, but have state and local officials do the state and local officials job,” he continued. “There doesn’t have to be a conflict unless that’s what Trump wants.”
