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Los Angeles rushes to protect illegal aliens in defiance of Trump's mass deportation plan
Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images

Los Angeles rushes to protect illegal aliens in defiance of Trump's mass deportation plan

City council unanimously agrees not to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

In anticipation of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in January, the Los Angeles City Council rushed to approve a "sanctuary city" ordinance on Tuesday.

The city council passed the measure in a unanimous vote, with council member Hugo Soto-Martinez (D) calling it "a very clear message" that the city refuses to "cooperate with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] in any way."

'That's not in the interest of public safety in Los Angeles or California.'

"We want people to feel protected and be able to have faith in their government and that women can report domestic violence, crimes," Soto-Martinez said.

Before the ordinance is enacted, the city council will vote on it one last time. Mayor Karen Bass (D) has the authority to veto the measure but has already been vocal about her support, the Associated Press reported.

"This moment demands urgency. Immigrant protections make our communities stronger and our city better," Bass said.

The news outlet noted that it remains to be seen whether the newly passed ordinance will have any significant impact, given that the Los Angeles Police Department has for decades adhered to Special Order 40, a policy that prevents officers from asking about immigration status or making arrests based on an individual's immigration status.

Additionally, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell has vowed to protect illegal aliens. He told KTTV this week that he can guarantee that his department will not be working with ICE to detain foreign nationals who are unlawfully in the country.

"That's not in our interest to do that. That's not in the interest of public safety in Los Angeles or California," McDonnell claimed.

The state also has sanctuary policies in place to shield illegal immigrants from deportation efforts.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) stated last week that he and other state leaders are working to "Trump-proof" the state.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta said, "I can promise to the undocumented immigrant community in California that I and my team have been thinking about you for months and the harm that might come from the Trump administration 2.0. We'll do everything in our power and use the full authority of our office to defend you."

Tom Homan, the incoming border czar for the Trump administration, has committed to deploying additional ICE agents to sanctuary jurisdictions, aiming to expedite the deportation of criminal illegal immigrants with or without local authorities' cooperation.

"If they're not gonna help us, then we'll just double the manpower in those cities. They don't want ICE agents in their neighborhoods, but they don't let ICE agents in the jail. They don't understand, if you let us in the jail, that'd be less agents in your neighborhood," Homan told "Fox News Live" on Saturday.

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Candace Hathaway

Candace Hathaway

Candace Hathaway is a staff writer for Blaze News.
@candace_phx →