California tells local law enforcement to follow federal law — but not to be federal immigration enforcers
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra yesterday issued two Information Bulletins to California law enforcement agencies regarding California Values Act (SB 54). The first bulletin addresses the statistical reporting requirements under the Values Act. The second bulletin provides guidance to California law enforcement agencies regarding their obligations and discretion under the Values Act and the TRUTH Act.
“The guidance we’re issuing today simply gives our public safety authorities a clear sense of what the Values Act – which works in concert not conflict with federal law – requires. We’re not going to let the Trump Administration coerce us into doing the federal government’s job of enforcing federal immigration law. We’re in the business of public safety, not deportation.”
As summarized by Matt Zapotosky in the Washington Post, the guidelines “clarified that its sanctuary state policies do not give state and local law enforcement agencies the ability to disregard federal law on cooperating with immigration authorities — but they do set limits on how the agencies can aid in immigration enforcement.”
The Trump administration has sued the state of California, claiming that three of its “sanctuary laws” intrude on the federal power to regulate immigration.
KJ