California declares itself a 'sanctuary state' - here's how ICE responded

California's government has declared the state a "sanctuary city," but Immigration and Customs Enforcement has responded to counteract their undermining of immigration law.

What does it mean to be a "sanctuary state"?

Much like the "sanctuary city" policies, California has passed legislation prohibiting local government officials and employees from cooperating with federal immigration officials attempting to deport illegal aliens.

California's specific law bans local law enforcement from “using resources to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest persons for immigration enforcement purposes.” It was eased from it's original version to allow some cooperation in some limited circumstances.

What is ICE doing in response?

ICE acting director Tom Homan released a statement blasting the legislation, and warning that ICE will have to expand their operations to make up for the non-cooperation from officials.

"ICE will have no choice but to conduct at-large arrests in local neighborhoods and at worksites," the statement read, "which will inevitably result in additional collateral arrests, instead of focusing on arrests at jails and prisons where transfers are safer for ICE officers and the community."

"ICE will also likely have to detain individuals arrested in California in detention facilities outside of the state, far from any family they may have in California," he added.

Homan also said that the new California policy would undermine public safety and create a "magnet" for more illegal immigration to come to the state.

What's a "collateral arrest"?

"Collateral arrests" refer to apprehensions of illegal aliens who happen to be in the company of an illegal alien when they are targeted by ICE for arrest. Critics have decried these arrests because they often pick up non-violent persons illegally in the country that have committed no further major crimes.