President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to show his support for Orange County, California, which is pushing back against the state’s “sanctuary” law.
“My Administration stands in solidarity with the brave citizens in Orange County defending their rights against California’s illegal and unconstitutional Sanctuary policies,” Trump tweeted. “California’s Sanctuary laws release known dangerous criminals into communities across the State. All citizens have the right to be protected by Federal law and strong borders.”
My Administration stands in solidarity with the brave citizens in Orange County defending their rights against California's illegal and unconstitutional Sanctuary policies. California's Sanctuary laws….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018
California’s Senate Bill 54, which went into effect on January 1st, limits local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Last week, the Orange County city of Los Alamitos voted to oppose the law, and, on Monday, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced that it would sidestep the sanctuary law by making public the release dates of jailed inmates, including undocumented immigrants.
In a closed-door session on Tuesday, the all-Republican Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to join a federal lawsuit filed against the state by the Department of Justice which argues the new law is unconstitutional. “These state laws are pre-empted by federal law,” Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson said at the meeting, according to Politico. “Our officers actually face penalties under state law if they so much as talk to federal agents for the wrong thing. That’s just unacceptable, and it’s contrary to federal law.”
