Border Patrol says California, LA 'sanctuary' policies force public patrols

Border Patrol speaks on ICE raids, LA protests

Border Patrol Assistant Chief David Kim spoke exclusively with FOX 11 about his team's work with ICE in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES - While anti-ICE protests continue to pop up across Southern California, FOX 11 interviewed Border Patrol on Wednesday to discuss their current operations occurring across the Los Angeles area.

"It is a little bit out of the ordinary to see Border Patrol here in Los Angeles," said Assistant Chief David Kim from Border Patrol’s El Centro Sector.

What we know:

Border Patrol has been working with ICE in the Los Angeles area for about a week, following President Donald Trump’s order to expand deportation efforts.

"We’re here in Los Angeles, deep in the heart of sanctuary territory," said Kim. "It is a lot more difficult to make these arrests."

On Tuesday, Kim said crowds of people followed Border Patrol agents to a parking lot in Pico Rivera. They had been apprehending non-U.S. citizens outside a Walmart.

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In video from the scene shared with FOX 11 by viewers, a struggle can be seen taking place between a Walmart employee and Border Patrol agents. A U.S. citizen was arrested as a result of the struggle.

"The narrative right now is just a U.S. citizen was arrested for no reason," said Kim. "But, in fact, that subject punched two agents and is now in custody facing federal charges for assault."

Community comes together after ICE raid at Walmart

Pico Rivera residents have united following an ICE raid on a Walmart parking lot.

What they're saying:

According to Kim, the deportation efforts taking place at car washes, work places, and parking lots are amplified by sanctuary immigration policies in California and Los Angeles. Instead of having a handful of agents in local jails, Kim says they have to have more agents on the street carrying out immigration enforcement operations.

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"We don’t have support from the state legislators here," said Kim. "That’s forcing us to go out and do roving patrols."

FOX 11 asked how they pick targets while carrying out "roving patrols".

"Without giving away some of the tactics out there, the vast majority of these roving patrols would just be consensual encounters," said Kim. "We know where to look, and we know the indicators."

The other side:

In recent weeks, some residents have expressed their concerns and fears associated with these apprehensions and deportations.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says the raids are wrong.

"When you raid Home Depots and work places, when you tear parents and children apart, and when you run armored caravans through our streets, you’re not trying to keep anyone safe," said Mayor Bass.

Kim pushed back against Bass' claims, saying that when he and his team were doing roving patrols in a Home Depot, they found an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, "who back in 2015 had sexual intercourse with a minor under 16."

What's next:

Border Patrol says they’ll be in the Los Angeles area helping ICE "until the job is done."

"Immigrants, those that are here legally, have nothing to worry about," said Kim. "But, if you are here illegally, my recommendation is to self-deport. If we find you, you will get arrested."