Huntington Beach has declared itself a “non-sanctuary city” as Republicans gear up to enact President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans.
Newsweek has contacted the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom via email outside of normal office hours.
Why It Matters
Trump has already begun implementing his sweeping immigration reforms, including limiting asylum and lifting restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) making arrests at sensitive locations such as schools, churches and hospitals.
In response, many Democrat-led cities and states have reinforced their sanctuary policies, which restrict local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.
People hold up signs in support of immigrants as Los Angeles City Council considers a “sanctuary city” ordinance on November 19, 2024. People hold up signs in support of immigrants as Los Angeles City Council considers a “sanctuary city” ordinance on November 19, 2024. Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images
What To Know
On Tuesday, January 21, the city council unanimously voted for Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns’ proposal to designate the city a “non-sanctuary” jurisdiction, aligning with Trump’s mass deportation policies.
Burns proposed designating Huntington Beach as a “non-sanctuary city” and cited an increase in violent crime across the state as a key justification for the move.
The designated status seeks to counter some of Governor Newsom’s policies while aligning with the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration agenda.
Huntington Beach City Council wrote in a press release on Tuesday: “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. Neither the governor nor the state legislature with the passage of laws may interfere with the city’s voluntary cooperation with federal authorities, nor cause or compel the city to violate federal laws such as Title 8 Section 1324 for the harboring of illegal immigrants.”
The move from Huntington Beach comes as the federal government initiates the early phases of mass deportations nationwide.
Huntington Beach’s vote occurred just weeks after Governor Newsom proposed a “Trump-proof” legal defense fund of up to $25 million for California’s justice department. Introduced in November 2024, Newsom’s initiative aims to safeguard California’s existing policies on reproductive rights, climate change and immigration.
Another California city, El Cajon, held off on its vote to seek to work around SB 54 after residents voiced their concerns about the potential impact on migrant and mixed-status families.
SB 54, also known as the California Values Act, became a state law in 2017. It was designed to stop local law enforcement from asking individuals about their immigration status or sharing such information with ICE or Border Patrol.
SB 54 does include exemptions for those convicted of felonies or serious violent crimes, including assault and sexual abuse, meaning local and federal officials are allowed to work together.
Republican Senator Katie Boyd Britt of Alabama claimed that ICE agents arrested 308 undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes across the country on Trump’s first full day of office.
What People Are Saying
Huntington Beach City Council member Gracey Van Der Mark said at the meeting: “We promised to protect the residents of Huntington Beach and, unfortunately, at this point, we have to protect them from the state, from the governor and from the, thank goodness, former President Biden…”
Huntington Beach Mayor Burns said in a press release: “I am pleased the city council unanimously supported my initiative. This will be another effective tool to combat crime and it will be a signal to would-be criminals: do not come to Huntington Beach.
“I am presenting this declaration to the city council in hopes that my colleagues will join me in taking a stand in favor of our city by cooperating with the Trump administration and the federal government law enforcement agencies, with regard to enforcement of immigration laws in order to further combat crime.”
Attorney Michael Gates said after the city council’s vote: “In California, in particular, fighting crime is difficult enough with the relaxed criminal laws and lack of enforcement. The state should get out of the way of local law enforcement, stop handcuffing our police officers and California’s cities, and get back to the business of protecting innocent citizens. Emphatically, the state should not take a position of violating federal immigration laws or encouraging cities to violate federal immigration laws.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously told Newsweek: “President Trump will enlist every federal power and coordinate with state authorities to institute the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals, drug dealers and human traffickers in American history while simultaneously lowering costs for families.”
What Happens Next
ICE has not released any public statements regarding immigration enforcement raids under the second Trump administration.
However, they are expected to conduct raids throughout the U.S. amid Trump’s crackdown.
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