Resisting Trump Immigration Stance, California Senate Passes ‘Sanctuary State’ Bill
The California Senate passed Senate Bill 54 on Monday, barring state and local law enforcement agencies from using their resources to help federal immigration authorities. Senate Bill 54, also known as the "sanctuary state" bill, passed the Senate in a 27-12 vote, CNN
reported.
"Our precious local law enforcement resources will be squandered if police are pulled from their duties to arrest otherwise law-abiding maids, busboys, labors, mothers and fathers," Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, who authored the bill, said in a statement.
De León claimed the bill is "a rejection of President Trump's false and cynical portrayal of undocumented residents as a lawless community."
The "sanctuary state" bill prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from using their resources to cooperate with the federal immigration authorities. Resources include money, facility, property, equipment or personnel from state and local law enforcement. According to CNN, "They would be prohibited from asking about immigration status, giving federal immigration authorities access to interview a person in custody or assisting them in immigration enforcement."