Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared Monday the city's police department "will never be a deportation force" as long as he is in office, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The promise came during a speech at a May Day rally in the city, where thousands used the occasion to protest President Donald Trump's agenda, the Times reported.
"It matters less who's in the White House," Garcetti told the crowd, the LA Times reported. "It's matters who's in this house."
Garcetti, the grandson of an immigrant from Mexico, said he wants everyone to feel welcome in Los Angeles – and protesters cheered when he promised to protect illegal immigrants.
"As long as I am mayor, the LAPD will never be a deportation force," he said. "They will be your police officers."
Before the speech, the mayor's office also tweeted out a statement in support of immigrants.
Police estimated about 15,000 people participated in the Los Angeles May Day marches; organizers had claimed the event would draw 100,000 protesters, the Times reported.
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