DOJ punishes California for interfering with federal immigration enforcement

It’s about time! The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against sanctuary state California which has deliberately interfered with federal jurisdiction on immigration. The DOJ and the Trump Administration are trying to block three recently-passed state laws that only appear to protect illegal immigrants rather than law-abiding, taxpaying citizens who reside in the state.

Fox News has the story:

It marked the latest legal and political confrontation with the nation’s most populous state, which the federal government says has repeatedly stood in the way of its plans to step up enforcement actions in the workplace and against criminal aliens.

“The Department of Justice and the Trump Administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional policies,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions was expected to tell California law enforcement officers on Wednesday. “We are fighting to make your jobs safer and to help you reduce crime in America.”

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Federal officials are seeking an injunction to immediately block enforcement of the three California laws, each enacted within the past year.

One of those laws offers additional worker protections against federal immigration enforcement actions. Senior Justice Department officials have said it’s prevented companies from voluntarily cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.

Employers are mandated under the law to demand ICE agents present a warrant or subpoena before entering certain areas of the premises, or when accessing some employee records.

Some companies have complained they’ve felt torn between trying to comply with seemingly contradictory state and federal statutes, since penalties for non-compliance can be steep from both entities.

Another state law dubbed known by critics as the “sanctuary state” bill protects immigrants without legal residency by limiting state and municipal cooperation with the feds, including what information can be shared about illegal-immigrant inmates.

A third law gives state officials the power to monitor and inspect immigrant detention facilities either run directly by, or contracted through, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

California, as well as other sanctuary jurisdictions nationwide, prevent federal immigration authorities from successfully doing their jobs. They have a responsibility to serve and protect the American citizens who reside there. It’s time to hold sanctuary cities and states accountable for not enforcing the laws and punish them for interference!

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