Leaders in a single Southern California metropolis fed up with the state’s immigration insurance policies have voted to grow to be a “non-sanctuary” metropolis and ignore the state’s sanctuary legal guidelines.
The decision was accredited by the Huntington Seaside Metropolis Council on Tuesday night time by a unanimous 7-0 vote.
Mayor Pat Burns, who launched the laws, “Non-Sanctuary Metropolis for Unlawful Immigration for the Prevention of Crime,” stated the transfer was a matter of public security.
“That is in one of the best curiosity of our group, Huntington Seaside, to make it possible for we make the most of each aspect of legislation enforcement we are able to to make it one of the best place to dwell,” Burns, a former legislation enforcement officer, stated throughout Tuesday’s assembly alongside a small bust sculpture of President Donald Trump.
The transfer directs town’s law enforcement officials to work with federal immigration authorities and notify immigration officers when they’re about to launch an unlawful immigrant from jail.
The decision “intentionally sidestep[s] the Governor’s efforts to subvert the great work of federal immigration authorities and to announce town’s cooperation with the federal authorities, the Trump Administration and Border Czar Tom Homan’s work,” town stated in a information launch.
Sanctuary cities prohibit their legislation enforcement personnel from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.
The observe has come below scrutiny for shielding legal unlawful immigrants from being deported.
Along with the decision, Huntington Seaside is suing the state over its sanctuary state legal guidelines, which it claims are unconstitutional.
Earlier than the vote, Councilman Chad Williams chided state lawmakers for enacting insurance policies to guard unlawful immigrants, together with these convicted of violent crimes.
“If we need to voluntarily cooperate with federal authorities to guard our group, that’s completely our prerogative,” he stated. “It’s simply fundamental frequent sense. Why wouldn’t you need to use each software accessible to maintain your group secure?”
The decision textual content mentions crimes dedicated by unlawful immigrants on behalf of legal gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, which gained widespread consideration after its members allegedly terrorized residents at a Colorado condominium complicated.
Tuesday’s vote got here weeks after California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a “Trump-proof” authorized protection fund of as much as $25 million for California’s justice division.
Trump has promised to focus on legal unlawful immigrants for deportation.
“In California particularly, combating crime is tough sufficient with the relaxed legal legal guidelines and lack of enforcement. The State ought to get out of the way in which of native legislation enforcement, cease handcuffing our law enforcement officials and California’s cities, and get again to the enterprise of defending harmless residents,” Huntington Seaside Metropolis Lawyer Michael Gates stated in a press launch.
“Emphatically, the State shouldn’t take a place of violating federal immigration legal guidelines or encouraging cities to violate federal immigration legal guidelines.”