Huntington Beach sues California over law limiting police work with ICE

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

HUNTINGTON BEACH IS ONCE AGAIN CHALLENGING A CALIFORNIA SANCTUARY LAW NEARLY 7 YEARS AFTER ITS FIRST ATTEMPT.

THE CITY ARGUES IN A LAWSUIT FILED THIS WEEK, THE CALIFORNIA VALUES ACT OR S-B-54, WHICH LIMITS LOCAL AUTHORITIES’ ABILITY TO WORK WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS, IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

THEY ARGUE THE LAW VIOLATES THE SUPREMACY AND NATURALIZATION CLAUSES OF THE U-S CONSTITUTION AND BREAKS FEDERAL LAW BY ADVISING LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT NOT TO COOPERATE WITH U-S IMMIGRATION CUSTOMS AND ENFORCEMENT AGENTS.

THE SUIT ALSO CITES A PRESS RELEASE FROM STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA LAST MONTH, REMINDING “CALIFORNIA IMMIGRANTS OF THEIR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS UNDER THE LAW.”

IN THE RELEASE BONTA NOTES, “STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CANNOT ASSIST ICE WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, WITH VERY LIMITED EXCEPTIONS.”

SAYING ICE CANNOT DETAIN MIGRANTS UNLESS IT’S “PART OF A JOINT TASK FORCE” WHOSE “PRIMARY PURPOSE IS NOT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.”

HUNTINGTON BEACH MAYOR PAT BURNS SAYS S-B-54 HURTS POLICE OFFICER’S “ABILITY TO FULLY ENFORCE THE LAW AND KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.”

THE CALIFORNIA VALUES ACT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2017 AND WAS SEEN BY SOME AS “AN ACT OF RESISTANCE” BY STATE DEMOCRATS AGAINST TRUMP’S FIRST TERM IMMIGRATION POLICIES.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TRIED TO HAVE THE LAW THROWN OUT BUT THE 9TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS PANEL REJECTED THE ATTEMPT IN 2019.

HUNTINGTON BEACH ALSO UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO HAVE THE LAW DERAILED IN 2018.

BONTA DEFENDED THE LAW THEN, PROMISING TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS AND TO UPHOLD THE LAW.

THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE HAS YET TO RESPOND TO THE LATEST LAWSUIT AT THE TIME THIS REPORT WAS PUBLISHED.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.