The Supreme Court today refused to hear a contentious case about the validity of 2017 state legislation that limits the involvement of California law enforcement agencies in enforcing federal immigration laws.
In January, the Fourth District, Division Three, Court of Appeal rejected Huntington Beach’s challenge to the California Values Act. The City claimed the Act improperly interfered with its rights as a charter city under the state constitution to provide for “the constitution, regulation, and government of the city police force.”
The court’s published opinion in City of Huntington Beach v. Becerra, upheld the Act’s application to charter cities because the law “addresses matters of statewide concern — including public safety and health, effective policing, and protection of constitutional rights — is reasonably related to resolution of those statewide concerns, and is narrowly tailored to avoid unnecessary interference in local government.” Among other things, the court concluded that “[t]he need for immigrants to report crimes, work with law enforcement, and serve as witnesses” is a legitimate statewide concern that the Legislature addressed in the Act. Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye has for years been making a similar point about the adverse effects that immigration law enforcement can have on California’s justice system. (See, e.g., here.)
The Supreme Court today denied review.
