The city says California’s sanctuary state law hinders local agencies’ ability to comply with federal law.
On January 21, Southern California’s Huntington Beach City Council voted unanimously to declare the Orange County city a “non-sanctuary city.”
“Let’s be clear, we’re going to provide the highest level of safety for our citizens,” Burns told the City Council. “It’s going to be the best thing for Huntington Beach. Start with Huntington Beach.”
The mayor also cited concerns that the declaration could be used to attack immigrant communities, saying it would make immigrant neighborhoods safer.
In a joint statement, the Huntington Beach City Council said, “Neither the Governor nor the Legislature, in enacting laws, prevent the city from voluntarily cooperating with federal authorities or cause the city to violate federal laws, including Title 8 Section 1324. It cannot be forced or forced.” This is because they are harboring illegal immigrants. ”
Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates said California’s sanctuary state law hinders local agencies’ ability to comply with federal law.
“It is both interesting and true that the City of Sacramento is playing with words with laws like SB 54 (so-called Values and Sanctuary Acts) while freely acknowledging that illegal immigration is a violation of federal law. I think it’s concerning,” Williams said.
“As the charter city of Huntington Beach, I believe we have the right and responsibility to do better. Complying with the U.S. Constitution is not just an abstract concept.”
“The City of Los Angeles is going to send a clear message that we will not cooperate with ICE in any way,” Los Angeles City Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez said of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the time. “We want people to feel protected, to be able to trust the government, and to empower women to report domestic violence and crime.”
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there are at least 2.5 million illegal immigrants in California.