California 'sanctuary state' for migrants

California's governor has signed a package of bills into law that make it the first sanctuary state in the United States, part of a pushback against President Donald Trump's hard-line stance on immigration.

The legislation, which lawmakers approved last month, limits law enforcement officials from helping federal immigration authorities round up illegal immigrants.

"This action protects public safety and ensures hard-working people who contribute to our state are respected," said Governor Jerry Brown in a statement on Thursday.

The series of bills also help to fund legal services for unaccompanied minors arriving in California from Central America and assistance to immigrants seeking naturalisation.

Protections to undocumented children in the state also are part of the package.

Between 2.3 million to 2.6 illegal immigrants live in California, according to estimates by the Public Policy Institute of California, a non-profit research institution based in San Francisco.

The new legislation, which will take effect in January, is the most recent push by Democratic lawmakers in the state to create barriers to Republican President Donald Trump's pledge to bolster efforts to deport illegal immigrants.

But the decision means California could lose millions of dollars in grants from the federal government.