Federal judge upholds state’s sanctuary laws
Handing the Trump administration a setback in its ongoing battle against California's immigration policies, a federal judge on Thursday upheld the state's controversial sanctuary laws, setting the stage for another legal fight that could ultimately land in the Supreme Court.
Judge John Mendez denied the Department of Justice's request for a preliminary injunction blocking Senate Bill 54, the state's centerpiece sanctuary law limiting law enforcement cooperation with immigration officials, and Assembly Bill 103, which gives state officials the authority to review the conditions of detention facilities that contract with immigration authorities.
But Mendez did block parts of AB 450, the “Immigrant Worker Protection Act,” which fines employers who voluntarily let immigration agents access their workplaces. Under the ruling, employers can still warn their employees of workplace compliance checks, but immigration agents won't be required to obtain a warrant signed by a judge to enter a workplace.
In his order, Mendez said the state's decision not to assist federal immigration enforcement isn't an obstacle for the federal government enforcing immigration law.
“The laws make enforcement more burdensome than it would be if state and local law enforcement provided immigration officers with their assistance,” Mendez, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote. “But refusing to help is not the same as impeding.”
“Standing aside does not equate to standing in the way,” he continued.
An injunction for the sanctuary state law, which the Trump administration has asked for, would have meant that local officials around California could once again work with immigration agents.
Thursday's ruling “only sets the stage for future appeals,” said Thad Kousser, a UC San Diego political science professor. “This fight's going to go the full 12 rounds.” California also won in the first court hearings for cases over Trump's travel ban policy, he pointed out, only for the state's position to be overruled on appeal by the U.S. Supreme Court.