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ICE: Sanctuary Law Will Lead To Arrests In Neighborhoods, Workplaces

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/AP) — Governor Jerry Brown's decision to make California a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants means federal authorities have "no choice" but to conduct local raids in the state, immigration officials said Friday.

In another sign of escalating tensions between California and the Trump administration, ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan says in addition to conducting arrests "in local neighborhoods and worksites in California", his agency will also likely have to place immigrants arrested in California in out-of-state detention centers.

"ICE will have no choice but to conduct at-large arrests in local neighborhoods and at worksites, 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," Homan said in a statement.

Homan's statement Friday came a day after Gov. Jerry Brown signed "sanctuary state" legislation.

Starting Jan. 1, police will be barred from asking people about their immigration status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities. Jail officials only will be allowed to transfer inmates to federal immigration authorities if they have been convicted of certain crimes.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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