Bill to make California a sanctuary state sent to Gov. Brown
ATWATER VILLAGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A bill sent to Gov. Jerry Brown seeks to make California a sanctuary state, but some demonstrators are urging the governor to veto the measure.
The bill, SB 54, limits the cooperation and communication between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
Opponents in San Bernardino rallied Monday afternoon to urge the governor not to sign the bill. They argue it is an invitation to the world to enter and reside illegally in California.
A number of law enforcement agencies also oppose the bill, even some that already have policies limiting their cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"We have a policy that clearly tells our deputies in the field that we do not ask about immigration status," said Los Angeles County Assistant Sheriff Eddie Rivero.
Still, he said, there is cooperation with ICE over criminal issues like human trafficking and drugs. Los Angeles County and other agencies urged changes to the bill.
Some of those changes were later incorporated into an amended version of the bill that the Legislature approved.
Some immigration activists, however, don't approve of some of the changes. They say this bill is a first step and they will fight to get more restrictions on ICE.
"We're not going as far as we wanted," said Chris Newman with the National Day Laborers Network. "We definitely have developed a full consensus behind what will eventually be a policy in California to totally separate the sheriff from immigration enforcement."
Meanwhile in San Francisco the immigration issue led a group of DACA recipients to disrupt a press conference held by House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.
The protests were aimed at Pelosi's recent discussions with President Donald Trump on the future of the DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, program.
"This group today is saying don't do the Dream Act unless you do comprehensive immigration reform," Pelosi said. "Well we all want to do comprehensive immigration reform. That's been our fight."
