Huntington Beach can immediately start ignoring California’s contentious “sanctuary state” law.
In his ruling, Orange County Superior Court Judge James Crandall came down on the side of Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates in his lawsuit claiming that Senate Bill 54 unconstitutionally interferes with the city’s charter authority to enforce local laws and regulations.
Signed into law last year, SB 54 limits interaction between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials,with exceptions, including cases that involve violent or “serious” felonies.
KABC legal analyst Royal Oakes says Huntington Beach is asserting its right to govern itself as it pleases.
“The judge ruled in favor of the city using basically the argument against the state that the state had used against the feds.”
He says this case is far from settled.
“It would go, first of all, to the intermediate appellate level in California, the California Court of Appeal, so the loser, the State of California is going to go to them and say, ‘Please, correct this egregious error the Superior Court just made in Orange County.’ “
He says the issue is a big deal, so it has a pretty good chance of making making it to the State Supreme Court.
Royal Oakes was a guest on McIntyre in the Morning.
By Sandy Wells
KABC News