Border Czar: Immigration Enforcement to Ramp Up in LA, Other Cities

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) - White House border czar Tom Homan said today federal officials will "ramp up" immigration enforcement actions in so-called sanctuary cities across the country, including Los Angeles.

"You're going to see a ramp-up of operations in New York,'' Homan told reporters at the White House. "You're going to see a ramp-up of operations continue in L.A., Portland, Seattle, all these sanctuary cities that refuse to work with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement."

No specific details of planned enforcement actions were provided.   

ICE has been conducting stepped-up enforcement in the Los Angeles area since early June. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media Tuesday that the agency had made its 5,000th arrest in the area.   

"That's 5,000 criminal illegal aliens, gang members, child predators, and murderers taken off our streets," Noem wrote. "Precious lives saved. Families protected. American taxpayers spared the cost of their crimes AND the burden of their benefits. THANK YOU to our brave law enforcement officers. Make no mistake: if you are here illegally, we will find you, arrest you, and send you back."  

She added, "This is just the beginning."