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LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Los Angeles Police Department’s new chief says the department will work with consulates in Mexico and other Central American countries to draft a plan to protect immigrants ahead of the Trump administration’s mass deportation plan. He said he is doing so.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Jim McDonnell said his tenure as police chief will be marked by high levels of community engagement, noting that society as a whole must participate in the criminal justice system to create a safe place to live. he added. McDonnell, a veteran police officer and former sheriff, was elected by Mayor Karen Bass in October and was sworn in last month.
McDonnell said in a special order that the LAPD will not stop or take action against people for any reason related to their immigration status and will not enforce immigration laws that have been in place for 45 years. he said, referring to the department’s policy known as 40. It was established in 1979.
Any immigration crackdown would be “in line with our core mission, which is to work with all members of our community to build public trust and give people hope that they will come forward if they are victims of crime.” “It undermines our mission to be witnesses to crimes,” McDonnell said.
The ministry will work with consulates to create and distribute a video explaining the policy to immigrant communities and alleviating their concerns.
During the Trump administration, the U.S. Justice Department tried to withhold funding from sanctuary cities and give preferential treatment to cities that promised to cooperate with immigration enforcement in order to win federal aid.
Mr McDonnell said police were “aware of what is at stake”. A large portion of the Los Angeles Police Department’s budget goes toward personnel costs, and the department often relies on grants to provide equipment and tools. McDonnell said he will work with national police organizations, including the Metropolitan Chiefs Association, to advocate for law enforcement in the Trump administration.
At the state level, Attorney General Rob Bonta is also preparing to protect immigrants from President Trump’s mass deportation plan. Democrats on Wednesday released guidance for schools, libraries, hospitals and other institutions on how to respect the privacy of immigrants without legal status and limit assistance to federal immigration enforcement.
As someone whose family immigrated to the United States from the Philippines when he was a toddler to escape martial law and the rise of dictatorship in his homeland, Bonta said defending the rights of immigrants is personal.
“Here in California, we’re not going to spend the time, the money, the resources going back,” Bonta said at a news conference in San Francisco. “Immigration is the backbone of our country. Immigration is what makes America great.”
In addition to engaging with immigrant communities, McDonnell said she would like to see a higher level of engagement from communities that have traditionally been reluctant to “go out and ask for help on a human-to-human basis.” said.
He has also pledged to return the police force, which currently numbers just under 9,000 sworn officers, to its baseline of 10,000, and ideally much higher. Recent recruiting classes have been in the mid-30s, but McDonnell said he hopes to double that number to 60.
The executive additions are critical as Los Angeles prepares to host a number of events that draw tourists from around the world, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl and 2028 Olympics. .
One additional tool for law enforcement is the recently passed Proposition 36. This reverted to previous laws that made some shoplifting and drug offenses again felonies.
Although it mainly affects prosecutors, McDonnell said it makes arrests for these types of crimes “more meaningful” and gives local businesses more security and comfort, allowing them to close their doors or leave the area. He said there would be no need to do so.
“As we move forward, we will act cautiously to use the tools available to us,” McDonnell said.
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Associated Press writer Sophie Austin contributed from Sacramento, California.
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