ICE plans major sweep in San Francisco area, report says

Trump has repeatedly clashed with California over sanctuary laws, which he argues inhibit his ability to restrict immigration. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Federal officials are planning a major sweep of the Bay Area and other Northern California areas in the coming weeks as part of an operation to target more than 1,500 undocumented immigrants in the area, The San Francisco Chronicle reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.

The source told The Chronicle that the sweep is expected to be the largest of its kind since President Trump took office.ICE officials declined to comment on the operation, the paper reported.

Upon hearing about the planned the operation Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., accused the Trump administration of trying to make a political point.

California has clashed with law enforcement over immigration enforcement for a number of years. In October, California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB54 into law, which effectively limits local police from cooperating with federal authorities.

Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration that such laws encourage immigrants to not cooperate with local law enforcement and inhibit his goal of enforcing immigration laws.

In October, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB54 into law, which effectively limits local police from cooperating with federal authorities.

One of the stipulations of the law is that it denies federal officials the ability to detain illegal immigrants who have been placed in local jails.

ICE officials have warned that such standards would force the agency to arrest undocumented immigrants in the communities that hold such policies.

Thomas Homan, the acting ICE director, maintained that SB54 “threatened public safety,” and that under such circumstances, the federal government would be forced to conduct massive arrests in the communities that hold such policies.