President-elect Donald Trump has taken aim at "sanctuary cities," saying that he will end the immigrant-friendly policies and instead have local law enforcement work with federal officials to step up deportations.
But the plan appears at odds with local policies in California.
This week, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck confirmed local law enforcement will not take part in deportations, saying police officers would not stop people based solely on immigration status. Mayor Eric Garcetti has also vowed to keep immigrant-friendly policies in place.
So could this all lead to a showdown under President Trump? And could these policies change?
"There's no provision in law right now that would authorize such joint enforcement operations," said Niels Frenzen, director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Southern California. "But as we know, there are all sorts of ways that the federal government can coerce or encourage states to do things or not to do things in regard to controlling federal funds."
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