Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump blamed Democrats for immigration laws that force federal immigration agents to break up families during a roundtable to discuss California sanctuary state policies.

"I know what you're going through right now with families is very tough. But those are the bad laws the Democrats gave us," Trump said during the meeting with California officials.

Earlier in May, CNN reported on a new Department of Homeland Security policy that would potentially result in the separation of families at the border.

"We have to break up families," Trump said on Wednesday. "The Democrats gave us that law. It's a horrible thing, we have to break up families. That Democrats gave us that law and they don't want to do anything about it."

The policy that was enacted by DHS would not apply to asylum seekers who come to an official port of entry to the US without paperwork -- those individuals would only be placed into immigration proceedings.

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