Southern California town wants to exempt itself from sanctuary city law
7 hrs ago
By Paulina Dedaj | Fox News
One Southern California town is taking a stand against a state law that limits the cooperation between local police and federal immigration agents and encourages sanctuary cities to exist.
The City of Los Alamitos will vote on an ordinance that would exempt it from the sanctuary city law that council members say conflicts with federal law.
Members say that the state law “may be in direct conflict with federal laws and the Constitution,” not to mention going against the oath they took in taking office, The Orange County register reports.
The council “finds that it is impossible to honor our oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” according to the ordinance.
The proposed legislation comes after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Justice Department was filing a lawsuit against California over three pieces of legislation that interfere with the federal immigration policy.
Like Los Alamitos council members, Sessions argued that the laws are not only unconstitutional, but also a “plain violation of federal statute and common sense.”
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/17...-city-law.html
California city votes to opt out of sanctuary law
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Tuesday, March 20, 2018
A small California city voted Monday to opt out of the state’s new sanctuary law, with the city’s leaders saying they hoped others would follow their lead and defy the restrictions placed on their ability to cooperate with federal authorities.
Los Alamitos also said it will side with the Trump administration in its new lawsuit against California challenging three sanctuary laws, the Orange County Register reported.
The debate over the move was heated, the paper said.
But the council voted 4-1 in favor of opting out. The council must vote again next month to finalize the opt-out.
“As the mayor of Los Alamitos, we are not a sanctuary city,” Mayor Troy Edgar said.
One of California’s sanctuary laws, which took effect Jan. 1, prevents state and local law enforcement from asking about immigration status and from cooperating with federal authorities on immigration related matters — including when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asks to be notified about an illegal immigrant’s release from jail.
State leaders defended the law as a compromise, saying federal agents and officers are still allowed to do their jobs, but they cannot pressure local authorities to cooperate.
Homeland Security officials, though, say they’re being forced to release drunk drivers back onto the streets because local authorities won’t respond to pick them up.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...sanctuary-law/