The U.S. Department of Justice has weighed in on a legal battle over California’s 2017 “sanctuary” law, backing a federal lawsuit filed by the City of Huntington Beach and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The DOJ argues that the law unlawfully restricts local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and violates the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.
In a 36-page statement of interest submitted last week, the Justice Department under the Trump administration urged a federal court to side with the plaintiffs in their challenge to the California Values Act (CVA), the legislation that limits how state and local law enforcement can work with federal immigration authorities.
According to the DOJ, the CVA has hindered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations by preventing the safe transfer of individuals in custody, thereby forcing ICE agents to conduct arrests in public settings.
“By prohibiting law enforcement agencies from ensuring the safe transfer of criminals from state to federal custody in the secure environment of detention facilities, the CVA has left ICE no choice but to arrest those criminals in neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles, putting agents and detainees alike at higher risk,” DOJ attorneys wrote.
The DOJ’s involvement is a notable example of the federal government stepping into a dispute between state and local jurisdictions. Justice Department officials emphasized that the federal government has a vested interest in ensuring immigration laws are not obstructed by state policies.
The lawsuit, filed in March, follows a January resolution by Huntington Beach officials declaring the city a “non-sanctuary” jurisdiction. The conservative legal group America First Legal, founded by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, is representing the city and Sheriff Bianco.
In a statement, AFL praised the DOJ’s backing, asserting that the CVA discriminates against federal immigration officers and impedes basic cooperation like information sharing and honoring ICE detainers.
“We are grateful for the federal government’s support for America First Legal and the plaintiffs in this case in their fight against California’s illegal sanctuary laws,” said James Rogers, senior counsel at AFL.
The suit also names Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alleging the state is unlawfully shielding noncitizens with criminal records in violation of federal immigration law and certain state statutes.
California officials, however, argue that the law enhances public safety and trust in law enforcement, particularly in immigrant communities. The state attorney general’s office has filed a motion to dismiss the case, stating that California is well within its rights to focus on local priorities.
“Instead of focusing on this vital responsibility, Huntington Beach is attempting to relitigate settled law in a misguided attempt to divert its limited resources to federal immigration enforcement,” Attorney General Bonta said earlier this month.
A hearing on the motion to dismiss is scheduled for August.
The DOJ’s support in this case mirrors a broader trend under the Trump administration, which has increasingly backed lawsuits challenging sanctuary policies in cities such as New York, Chicago, and Denver. The Justice Department has also recently sided with conservative legal groups on other issues, including a challenge to Illinois’s assault weapons ban, describing the move as part of President Trump’s broader pledge to defend constitutional rights.
