Orange County, California has voted to join the Trump administration’s side in an immigration lawsuit against its own state.
The county’s Republican Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 on Tuesday to support the Department of Justice, which is suing California in federal court in Sacramento.
The DOJ argues three state laws hamper local law enforcement and businesses trying to cooperate with federal officials who are looking for criminal illegal immigrants.
Orange County’s decision comes after one of its cities, Los Alamitos, voted last week to ignore a state law that says local authorities cannot voluntarily give information regarding illegal immigrants currently in custody.
Attorneys general for 16 states as well as the governors of two others filed a “friend of the court” brief on the side of the Trump administration.
“Sanctuary laws and policies can cause harm to neighboring states by making it easier for people who are now lawfully in this country and have committed civil or criminal offenses to evade law enforcement and travel out-of-state,” the states wrote.
California has been a thorn in the side of the Trump administration on immigration a number of times. Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland warned immigrants ahead of time that ICE was planning a crackdown in the area.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions slammed the mayor earlier this month, saying her decisions “support those who flout the law and boldly validates illegality,” and calling them “an embarrassment to the proud state of California.”
“How dare you, how dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical open borders agenda?” Sessions rebuked her.