Federal Law May Tilt Fight to Trump In California Sanctuary Suit
- Justice Department sued state in March on immigration statutes
- Constitution’s Supremacy Clause says federal law reigns
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California’s courtroom record against the Trump administration has been near perfect. That may change as the Justice Department seeks to show that the state’s sanctuary laws are at odds with U.S. statues, violating the supremacy of federal law.
The latest court battle, pitting the unofficial nexus of the Trump resistance against the president, is over three laws signed by Governor Jerry Brown in the past year that effectively prohibit employers and local police from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and authorize the state attorney general to inspect privately owned federal detention centers.