California Defends Immigration Laws

California has repeatedly taken the Trump administration to court over their immigration policies, but on Wednesday the state found itself on the defensive in a federal government court challenge over protections it has given to undocumented immigrants. The Justice Department asked US Judge, John Mendez, to block three of the state’s laws, which government attorney, Chad Readler says were obviously passed to obstruct immigration enforcement by the federal government.

Mendez says the situation is not that clear, describing Wednesday’s hearing as a Q&A session that could take several hours, with no immediate ruling on the cards. California has gone out of its way to oppose many of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies with more than 50 lawsuits filed and achieving several victories in court.

The Trump administration has retaliated by criticizing California’s sanctuary policies and sparring with its Democratic Party leaders. One of the state laws targeted by the federal government is that California is required to review the detention facilities in which immigrants are being held. Another prohibits law enforcement officers from giving out personal information and release dates of jail inmates, and the third prevents employers from enabling immigration officials to visit their premises without a warrant.

California officials claim their policies create trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities, but the federal government’s lawsuit declares that the three laws result in dangerous criminals being allowed back onto the streets and that they are empowered by the Constitution to regulate immigration, which California is not.