Trump praises ‘rebellion’ by local California lawmakers against state’s ‘sanctuary’ laws

Wednesday president Trump praised local California leaders for standing up to “deadly and unconstitutional sanctuary state laws” and hailed what he called a “rebellion” against the state’s immigration policies.

Trump said each of the local leaders as brave for resisting California’s deadly and unconstitutional sanctuary state laws.  Trump said at the White House roundtable of local officials on the issue.

Those attending the round table meeting included a number of California Republican lawmakers and law enforcement officials who have pushed back against the state’s sanctuary laws which limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Among those there were  Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Thomas Homan and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

This was a show of force according to Republicans.

Back in March, Attorney General Sessions announced a lawsuit against the state’s “sanctuary” policies, which limit local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

A number of conservative areas in the state have objected and joined that lawsuit, looking to exempt themselves from the state law. A number of the officials behind such a push were among those invited to the White House.

Trump said that the citizens of California want  border security and they want protection.

Jurisdictions that have either filed amicus briefs supporting the federal lawsuit or who have joined it include Newport Beach, Orange, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Fountain Valley, San Juan Capistrano and Yorba Linda.

But Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown was unimpressed by the roundtable and accused Trump of lying about what is going on in California.

Brown accused Trump of lying  on immigration, lying about crime and lying about the laws of California.

Then back in February, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf alerted locals to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in northern California. Authorities said hundreds of criminal illegal immigrants escaped capture as a result.

Wednesday Trump reference to Schaaf, and urged Sessions to consider an obstruction of justice charge for her. The Department of Justice had said in the wake of the raid that it was investigating.