CA Police Chiefs Association Statement on Immigration Enforcement
PRESS RELEASE
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: January 21, 2025 |
Contact: Jonathan Feldman, jfeldman@lawpolicy.com |
CA Police Chiefs Association Statement on Immigration Enforcement
SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, the President of the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA), Tracy Avelar, released the following statement on behalf of the Association:
“Protecting all Californians, including the undocumented immigrants in our communities, is the primary focus of every police chiefs in our state. This means ensuring those living here, regardless of immigration status, are safe and secure. It also means those who have been victimized feel confident they can report crimes and cooperate with local and state law enforcement without consequence. To that end, California has numerous laws and policies in place, including those that the CA Police Chiefs Association supported or helped create, to ensure the safeguarding of every undocumented person in need of assistance - these protections must remain in place.
At the same time, we do not believe our laws should shield dangerous individuals, or restrict our agencies and officers from investigating and apprehending serious or violent offenders. Existing laws in California seek to strike this balance by allowing our departments to partner with federal agencies in targeting terrorist groups, human traffickers, and various criminal operations imbedded with foreign agents. Our role in these joint public safety efforts is all predicated by criminal acts, not immigration enforcement. Responding to, and preventing crime, will always be our guiding focus.
Expected changes in federal immigration enforcement policies have caused fear throughout our immigrant communities, including confusion and uncertainty as to what role local police may play in these new directives. It has never been the role of local police to enforce federal immigration law, nor should it be our responsibility. On behalf of the California Police Chiefs Association, we want all Californians to know our commitment remains to serve and protect you, and to be open and transparent as new policies unfold. Again, safety for all is our underlining mission and we stand ready to work together with federal and state leaders towards achieving that share goal.”
CPCA represents all 334 municipal police chiefs in the State of California, who are responsible for frontline public safety services for more the 27 million Californians.