"You have California deciding, for its own policy reasons, that this is contrary to the interests of its public policy. It does not want to be part of it. It feels it's the wrong thing to do," Smith said. "They're entitled to, under the governmental structure of the state of California."
California's Sanctuary Laws
California enacted a series of measures in 2017 to protect undocumented residents.
The most controversial measure, SB 54, known as the "state sanctuary law," limits local law enforcement cooperation with immigration agents — including sharing certain information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Another law, AB 103, empowers the California attorney general to monitor conditions in all immigrant detention facilities in the state for the next decade.
State Attorney General Xavier Becerra released his office's first report on the inspections in February.
The U.S. Department of Justice sued California on March 6, 2018, on the grounds that its sanctuary laws "reflect a deliberate effort" by the state to obstruct enforcement of federal immigration law.
Taken together, the laws “have the purpose and effect of making it more difficult for federal immigration officers to carry out their responsibilities in California,” the Justice Department said.
In July 2018, a federal judge in Sacramento rejected the Trump administration's bid to block SB 54 and AB 103. However, he struck down parts of a third bill, AB 450, that would have required ICE to have a warrant to search privately owned businesses.
