(CNN) Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says the Trump administration created its own immigration problems by enacting a so-called "zero-tolerance" policy that resulted in the separation of children from their parents at the border.

"In Washington, you have imaginary problems, and they can't even solve the imaginary problems," the Democratic mayor told CNN's Van Jones in an interview set to air on CNN at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, adding that family separation is "a problem of their own invention."

"Did somebody say they had to separate children from their parents at border?" Garcetti asked. "They created that problem. They can't even solve that problem that they created."

"They are creating these problems," he added. "They are picking fights. They are losing friends and allies."

When asked about calls from other Democrats to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Garcetti said that while he does believe the agency should be restructured, he does not believe it should be abolished.

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