Huntington Beach prepares to sue state to challenge 'sanctuary' immigration lawsBy Priscella Vega | Apr 03, 2018 | 8:20 AM
Huntington Beach plans to file a lawsuit against California and the state attorney general to challenge the legality of state mandates that expand protections for undocumented immigrants.
City Attorney Michael Gates said he will file the suit this week after the City Council gave its approval Monday night
on a 6-1 vote. Councilwoman Jill Hardy dissented. (* dissenting councilmember is public school teacher.)
Huntington Beach joins a wave of opposition in Orange County to California's "sanctuary state" laws, such as Senate Bill 54, which in many cases prohibits state and local police agencies from notifying federal officials when immigrants in their custody who may be subject to deportation are about to be released.
Several area cities have pushed against the sanctuary laws, starting in March, when the Los Alamitos City Council passed an ordinance opting out.
And the
county Board of Supervisors voted last week to join a Trump administration lawsuit that contends the laws obstruct federal immigration law and thus violate the Constitution's supremacy clause, which gives federal law precedence over state law.
Gates said Huntington will be the first city to challenge the legality of SB 54, authored by state Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), and he said he hopes "other cities in California follow our lead."
Mayor Mike Posey and Mayor Pro Tem Erik Peterson proposed the lawsuit as a way to "seek relief" from the state's sanctuary policies.
City officials argue the state is "unconstitutionally overreaching" by preventing municipalities from taking certain actions and spending their general fund money on certain law enforcement.
Before Monday night's vote, more than 100 speakers, including
U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa), vehemently spoke about undocumented immigrants and sanctuary cities.
A majority of the audience dressed in Make America Great Again memorabilia and chanted "USA, USA, USA." Many draped American flags on their backs and held signs with messages such as "Build wall, deport them all" and "We love President Trump."
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http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-hb-sanctuary-city-20180403-story.html
