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Trump threatens to pull ICE from California over sanctuary policies, leaving a 'crime mess
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was considering removing ICE agents from California because of the state's sanctuary policies for illegal immigrants. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump threatens to pull ICE from California over sanctuary policies, leaving a 'crime mess

President Donald Trump, frustrated by California’s immigration sanctuary policies, said Thursday that he is considering removing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from the state, according to The Hill.

What did Trump say?

Trump’s comments came from a White House meeting on school safety:

Frankly, it’s a disgrace, the sanctuary city situation — the protection of these horrible criminals in California. If we ever pulled our ICE out, if we ever said, "Hey, let California alone, let them figure it out for themselves," in two months they’d be begging for us to come back, they would be begging.

And you know what, I’m thinking about doing it.

Trump also said that if ICE left California, the state would suffer from a “crime mess like you’ve never seen in California.”

Why did he say that?

California has declared itself a “sanctuary” jurisdiction, meaning it does not fully cooperate with federal immigration officials.

Trump said that lack of cooperation has hindered ICE’s ability to combat gang crime perpetrated by illegal immigrants.

What is ICE doing in California now?

ICE has been extremely active in California and elsewhere during the Trump administration, and acting ICE Director Thomas Homan said the organization doesn’t plan to slow down.

According to Homan in January, California should “hold on tight” for more ICE operations, but emphasized that ICE agents conduct targeted operations, rather than blanket door-to-door raids.

“Every person we arrest, we know exactly who we’re going to arrest, we know exactly where we’re going to arrest them,” Homan told Fox News on Wednesday.

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