Leaders in one Southern California city fed up with the state’s immigration policies have voted to become a “non-sanctuary” city and ignore the state’s sanctuary laws.
The resolution was approved by the Huntington Beach City Council Tuesday night by a unanimous 7-0 vote. Mayor Pat Burns, who introduced the legislation, “Non-Sanctuary City for Illegal Immigration for the Prevention of Crime,” said the move was a matter of public safety.
“This is in the best interest of our community, Huntington Beach, to make sure that we utilize every facet of law enforcement we can to make it the best place to live,” Burns, a former law enforcement officer, said during Tuesday’s meeting alongside a small bust sculpture of President Donald Trump.
The move directs the city’s police officers to work with federal immigration authorities and notify immigration officials when they are about to release an illegal immigrant from jail.
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The resolution “deliberately sidestep[s] the Governor’s efforts to subvert the good work of federal immigration authorities and to announce the city’s cooperation with the federal government, the Trump Administration and Border Czar Tom Homan’s work,” the city said in a news release.
Sanctuary cities prohibit their law enforcement personnel from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The practice has come under scrutiny for shielding criminal illegal immigrants from being deported.
In addition to the resolution, Huntington Beach is suing the state over its sanctuary state laws, which it claims are unconstitutional.
Before the vote, Councilman Chad Williams chided state lawmakers for enacting policies to protect illegal immigrants, including those convicted of violent crimes.
“If we want to voluntarily cooperate with federal authorities to protect our community, that is absolutely our prerogative,” he said. “It’s just basic common sense. Why wouldn’t you want to use every tool available to keep your community safe?”
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The resolution text mentions crimes committed by illegal immigrants on behalf of criminal gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, which gained widespread attention after its members allegedly terrorized residents at a Colorado apartment complex.
Tuesday’s vote came weeks after California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a “Trump-proof” legal defense fund of up to $25 million for California’s justice department. Trump has promised to target criminal illegal immigrants for deportation.
“In California in particular, fighting crime is difficult enough with the relaxed criminal laws and lack of enforcement. The State should get out of the way of local law enforcement, stop handcuffing our police officers and California’s cities, and get back to the business of protecting innocent citizens,” Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates said in a press release.
“Emphatically, the State should not take a position of violating federal immigration laws or encouraging cities to violate federal immigration laws.”
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