As ICE stages raids across L.A., local police and officials say they are left in the dark

Some blame state’s sanctuary laws for why federal agents are keeping Los Angeles law enforcement at arm’s length.

As federal authorities stage immigration raids across Los Angeles, local police and officials say they are being kept in the dark — a lack of communication the city’s leaders blame for hurting their response to escalating protests. While California has sanctuary laws that limit police from directly helping immigration enforcement, former federal officials tell CNN there’s no prohibition against Immigration and Customs Enforcement sharing basic details about raids with police or government officials. “We do not know where and when the next raids will be. That is the concern,” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said on CNN Monday. “When we find out when and where the other raids are going to happen, that will determine how the police respond.” That kind of information sharing is commonplace in other parts of the country, a CNN review of recent ICE actions found. Experts said those communications can help authorities prepare for the kind of violent clashes that erupted in Southern California over the weekend. “You’ve really got to make sure that your state and local partners know when you are doing a large operation just to avoid any potential issues or confusion,” said John Sandweg, a former acting director of ICE during the Obama administration. “There is too much risk. It can lead to officer safety issues due to the confusion.” It’s not clear when ICE stopped sharing information with Los Angeles-area police departments and city officials or why it has taken that step. The agency did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment on Monday.