In the ongoing implementation of illegal immigration “sanctuary state” policies by the California government, the city council of Huntington Beach in Southern California passed a resolution on January 21 declaring the city as a “non-sanctuary city for preventing crimes by illegal immigrants.” Unlike cities in California such as Los Angeles and San Diego that have announced their support for sanctuary policies, Huntington Beach requires its police department and other officials to comply with federal immigration laws.
The initiative was proposed by Mayor Pat Burns, who had called on other council members to support his proposal in collaboration with the Trump administration and federal law enforcement agencies. With 30 years of law enforcement experience, Burns stated that the main responsibility of municipal leaders is to combat crime and protect citizens, emphasizing the need to take all possible measures and mechanisms to fight and reduce crime.
City Prosecutor and Chief Legal Officer Michael Gates supported the proposal, stating that with the overwhelming approval of California’s Proposition 36, it demonstrates that Californians support using more tools rather than fewer to combat crime and desire to restore law and order. This measure aligns with a lawsuit filed last week challenging the constitutionality of California’s sanctuary law.
According to a press release from the city council, during the Biden administration, nearly 20 million illegal immigrants have entered the United States, leading to an increase in various crime rates. Data from the California Department of Justice shows that since 2018, violent crime rates in California have risen by nearly 20%, with increases in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and robbery crimes.
Based on three press releases issued by Mayor Burns, in recent years, California has taken a series of measures to encourage the entry of illegal immigrants and their protection, including employing illegal immigrants in state government jobs, providing $150,000 in taxpayer money for down payments on homes and mortgage loans for illegal immigrants, spending $2.3 million to support the relocation or settlement of illegal immigrants in rural areas, allocating $25 million in taxpayer money for a legal defense fund for illegal immigrants, and the passage of SB54 law in California, which prohibits local police departments from communicating and coordinating with federal agencies during arrest operations.
On January 20, President Trump issued the “Ensuring States’ Rights to Prevent Invasion” order, emphasizing that a fundamental feature of any sovereign nation is to have territorial borders and the power to decide who can cross those borders. The order also mentions that the Supreme Court recognizes the executive branch’s right and obligation to defend national sovereignty, which is in clear contrast with California’s sanctuary state policy.
The presidential order states that, effective immediately, it suspends the entry of foreigners who invade the United States through the southern border and harm U.S. interests, imposes entry restrictions on those entering the U.S. unlawfully, and suspends or restricts the entry of foreigners who pose risks to public health, safety, or national security. As per the Constitution, the order allows for the suspension of entry, and military actions are authorized to fend off entry.
Furthermore, the order stipulates that potential immigrants using visas for entry undergo health, safety, and security screenings abroad. For illegal entrants, federal officials are unable to ascertain their criminal records or if they pose a national security risk. The continuous influx of illegal immigrants across the southern border incurs significant costs on states, with billions of dollars spent providing healthcare and related services.
On January 17, before President Trump took office, California Attorney General Bonta issued a series of guidelines on immigration issues for law enforcement agencies, legal proceedings, and lawyer defense in the state. According to a press release from his office, Bonta stated, “The incoming president has advocated xenophobic rhetoric, planning inhumane large-scale deportation schemes, without focusing on community protection. However, California will continue to adhere to California values and will not allocate critical public safety resources to federal immigration law.”
Bonta highlighted the SB54 law passed by California in 2017, which prohibits law enforcement agencies in the state from investigating, questioning, detaining, and arresting individuals for immigration enforcement purposes. California law enforcement departments are prohibited from accepting transfer and notification requests, providing information about release dates of individuals unless specified in a public notice, allowing officers to receive supervision from federal agencies, or being authorized to carry out immigration enforcement tasks.
Moreover, California law enforcement agencies are barred from entering into new contracts with the federal government to house or detain non-citizens in detention facilities for immigration purposes. They cannot participate in joint law enforcement operations primarily focused on immigration enforcement, although SB54 does not prevent California law enforcement agencies from investigating, detaining, or arresting individuals involved in criminal activities under state or federal law.