SF Sheriff's Office reaffirms immigrant protection as Trump cracks down on sanctuary cities
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- President Trump is saying he will prosecute officials in sanctuary cities, such as those in the Bay Area, that resist his new immigration crackdown.
The Bay Area is the home to many sanctuary cities including San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and others in Santa Clara County.
According to a Justice Department memo, federal prosecutors have been directed to investigate any state or local officials who stand in the way of immigration enforcement under President Trump's administration.
MORE: Justice Department directs prosecutors to probe local efforts to obstruct immigration enforcement
The memo also asks their civil division to help identify state and local laws and policies that "threaten to impede" the Trump Administration's immigration initiatives and potentially challenge them in court.
It's something that may cause a clash between officials in the Bay Area sanctuary cities.
The San Francisco Sheriff's Office put out a statement in Spanish on X to reassure the public that they will not support any legislation that undermines San Francisco's Sanctuary City Ordinance.
In a press conference, the Sheriff's Office says the residents of San Francisco have also valued compassion and inclusion and that the recent elections prove public security is a priority.
They went on to say that the Sheriff's Office will protect undocumented immigrants and that they do not arrest people for civil immigration violations.
They also included resources for immigrants looking for help during this time.
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The San Francisco City Attorney's Office put out a statement in response to Trump's announcement.
"The purpose of San Francisco's sanctuary laws is not to interfere with lawful federal immigration enforcement," SF City Attorney David Chiu said. "Immigration enforcement is the federal government's job, not the responsibility of state or local governments. San Francisco is in full compliance with federal law."
This all comes as top officials with the Department of Homeland Security have confirmed with ABC News that Chicago will be a target area for the incoming administration beginning next week.
The immigration operations could involve "high priority criminal targets" that DHS teams have been investigating for months.
