A proposed California measure introduced by Republican lawmakers aims to end the state’s sanctuary laws following what they described as violent attacks on federal immigration agents earlier this month in Los Angeles.
Assembly Concurrent Resolution 98, introduced by Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-East Nicolaus) and Assemblyman Stan Ellis (R-Bakersfield), calls for an “immediate end to policies that obstruct lawful immigration enforcement and urge the Governor to take immediate action to restore law and order.”
“Federal officers were violently attacked in the streets of Los Angeles for doing their job—and Gavin Newsom’s policies helped create the conditions that allowed it to happen,” Gallagher said in a statement. “Newsom’s sanctuary state agenda has made it harder to enforce the law and easier for mobs to take over our streets. Enough is enough.”
The measure also argues that California’s sanctuary laws have led to “dangerous gaps in communication and coordination between agencies, making it harder to plan safe operations and emboldening those who oppose immigration enforcement to interfere without consequence.”
The resolution urges Gov. Newsom to take immediate action to improve coordination between state, local and federal law enforcement.
Democratic lawmakers in Sacramento have often supported sanctuary policies aimed at shielding immigrants in the country without authorization from deportation.
California has been a sanctuary state since 2017, when former Gov. Jerry Brown signed the California Values Act, which limits the involvement of state and local law enforcement in federal immigration enforcement.
The resolution will likely face an uphill battle in the California Legislature, where Democrats hold the supermajority.
On the other hand, one SoCal community — notable Republican stronghold Huntington Beach — officially declared itself a “non-sanctuary city” in January.