Governor Jerry Brown signs Sanctuary State bill

UPDATE: 10/5/2017 11:02 a.m.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed “sanctuary state” legislation that extends protections statewide for immigrants living in the United States illegally.

The action Thursday gives the nation’s most populous state another tool in its arsenal of legal weapons to fight President Donald Trump.

The bill bars police from asking people about their immigration status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities in most cases starting Jan. 1.

California is home to an estimated 2.3 million immigrants without legal authorization.

California’s Democratic Senate leader Kevin de Leon introduced the bill in response to widespread fear in immigrant communities following the election of Trump, who railed against immigrants in his campaign and promised to sharply ramp up deportation.

California’s influential sheriff’s association opposed the measure, warning it would make it harder for them to protect the public.

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California lawmakers have approved a “sanctuary state” bill that would limit police cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The bill approved early Saturday is intended to bolster immigrant protections in the state that are already among the toughest in the nation.

It will now be considered by Gov. Jerry Brown, who announced his support after the top state Senate leader agreed to water down the bill and preserve authority for jail and prison officials to cooperate with immigration officers in many cases.

The legislation is the latest effort by Democratic lawmakers in California to create barriers for President Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to step up deportation efforts.

It prohibits law enforcement officials from asking about a person’s immigration status or participating in immigration enforcement efforts.

It also prohibits law enforcement officials from being deputized as immigration agents or arresting people on civil immigration warrants.