The Huntington Beach City Council unanimously declared itself a "non-sanctuary city" for undocumented immigrants in a unanimous vote on Tuesday, signaling its alignment with President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
The decision, enacted through Resolution No. 2025-01, prioritizes cooperation with federal immigration authorities, challenging California's sanctuary state law, known as SB 54, which restricts local and state resources from being used to assist federal immigration enforcement.
Speaking to The Latin Times, Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns defended the decision while also criticizing California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state's policies. "Sanctuary cities really take a link out of a chain for law enforcement within our city and our primary function as a city council is to provide safety for our citizens to the fullest extent possible," said Burns retired officer with a 30-year law enforcement career. "And if we take a link out of that chain, it's weakening that position."
"There were so many opportunities that I called on different agencies because I needed their help in an investigation and there were times that they called me because they needed help. We have to work together to fully serve in the best possible way our communities. The sanctuary city order I think is an illegal order and I don't agree with it," he added.
With the new non-sanctuary initiative, Burns hopes that other California communities will take a page from Huntington Beach and take a stance against the policies of Gov. Newsom, who he described as a "disingenuous" politician that puts "self-service over community service":
"It [non-sanctuary city] really is just putting our public safety first and keeping all law enforcement tools available to the citizens of Huntington Beach to make it the safest city possible. That's really the essence of the whole thing."
The Huntington Beach City Council explained on its website that "the intent of this Resolution is to deliberately sidestep the Governor's efforts to subvert the good work of federal immigration authorities and to announce the City's cooperation with the federal government, the Trump Administration, and Border Czar Tom Homan's work."
"This new City policy and Declaration are common sense, supports our law enforcement, and advances public safety throughout the City. What the Governor is doing does not," it adds.
Sanctuary cities across the country are set to be targeted by the Trump administration. America First Legal (AFL), a conservative organization led by deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, issued this month notice letters to 249 officials in sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States warning of potential civil and criminal liabilities for policies perceived as obstructing federal immigration law enforcement.
The letters specifically cited federal statutes prohibiting interference with immigration enforcement or shielding undocumented immigrants, actions which, according to AFL, could result in criminal charges, including penalties of up to five years in prison per case of harboring undocumented individuals.
However, several cities have taken steps to shield its immigrant population from Trump's policies, including Boston, Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles.
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