LAPD Chief Says He Will Risk Federal Funding to Avoid Immigration Enforcement by Officers

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck says he is willing to risk millions in federal funding, if President Trump decides to punish cities that don’t comply with federal immigration laws.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck says he is willing to risk millions in federal funding, if President Trump decides to punish cities that don’t comply with federal immigration laws.

“I’d risk losing my beliefs,” Beck told the Los Angeles Times if he were to comply. “There’s not a price for me to do this differently.”

Beck says his force is about 47% Latino, and many officers have what he called blended families. In other words, they’ve got relatives with papers and relatives without.

“To think the fabric of Los Angeles is going to change [through a legal edict],” Beck said, “denies our history.”

If the LAPD were forced into the immigration business, Beck said, “It’s all we’d do,” instead of focusing on trying to bring crime rates down.

“We couldn’t deport 500,000 people if we wanted to, and if we did, it would be at the expense of public safety.”

If undocumented immigrants are convicted of violent felonies, Beck thinks they should serve their time and then be deported. But the crime rate is no greater among immigrants than the rest of the population, he said.

About the Author
Page 1 of 2351
Next Page