Statement on Recent Immigration Enforcement Action

Statement on Recent Immigration Enforcement Action

(SACRAMENTO) The President of the California Police Chiefs Association, Chief Jason Salazar, released the following statement regarding recent immigration enforcement actions and statewide demonstrations:

Our police chiefs and officers are all Californians. Some of us are immigrants ourselves, and all of us have friends or family members impacted by immigration in some way. The value and benefits we all enjoy from including thousands of immigrants throughout our communities cannot be understated, and we empathize with those feeling hurt, angry, and scared right now. As local law enforcement, our primary mission remains to provide safety to all Californians, including protecting the rights to assemble and protest peacefully.

Effective public safety requires open communication and trust. While the various local, state, and federal agencies involved in the ongoing events all have separate responsibilities and directives, we should all be united by the overarching goal that our operations serve a common good. To ensure officer safety, which is of utmost importance to all of us, it is critical to maintain open lines of communication and awareness. As California’s police executives, we remain committed to these balanced principles, which we believe will help de-escalate tensions and promote public safety.

While we support the right to free speech and lawful protest— violence, rioting, destruction, and criminal acts will not be tolerated. These actions do not promote justice or advance any cause; they endanger lives, damage businesses, and silence legitimate voices. Every act of aggression against law enforcement or the public is an attack on our shared safety. We will protect the rights of peaceful protesters, but we will respond swiftly and decisively to those who seek to cause harm.

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