The Los Alamitos City Council listened to several more hours of public comments before voting by the same 4-1 count, to approve a city ordinance that exempts the city from the California Sanctuary law, SB54.
The contentious debate drew hundreds of people on both sides, as the council was set to approve the law in a second reading, after initially passing the ordinance on April 16.
The Los Alamitos City Council listened to several more hours of public comments before voting by the same 4-1 count, to approve a city ordinance that exempts the city from the California Sanctuary law, SB54.
The contentious debate drew hundreds of people on both sides, as the council was set to approve the law in a second reading, after initially passing the ordinance on April 16.
The ordinance was proposed by Mayor pro Tem Warren Kusumoto, because he argued that the California law conflicted with the US Constitution. Kusumoto stated that council members took an oath to uphold the constitution and that following this state law violates that oath. The ordinance says that the city of Los Alamitos will side with the constitution, allowing local law enforcement to support federal immigration actions.
The council voted, 4-1, for a second time, to approve the city ordinance. Mayor Troy Edgar, Council members, Shelley Hasselbrink and Richard Murphy and Kusumoto all voted to approve the ordinance.
Council member Mark Chirco was the no vote, telling the council that the law was divisive, ineffective and unnecessary for the city. Rossmoor resident and lawyer, Joel Block, also told the council that this could also put the city in violation of law, simply because it oversteps the council’s authority.
Block warned the council that even if the federal government were to win its lawsuit against the state of California, the city could lose any potential lawsuits that would force the city to defend its ordinance.
“Courts could determine that the city exceeded its authority by nullifying state law,” Block said.
Edgar reiterated that he still feels the council took an action that is best for the city of Los Alamitos. Edgar also agued that the scenario that Block proposed, is not likely to come to fruition.
“That would take a proactive action by the governor and the attorney general to come after Los Alamitos,” Edgar said.
Chirco stated that the city could suffer financial disaster defending any potential lawsuits. Edgar has set up a gofundme account to raise money to fight any lawsuits. As of Monday, the account had raised more than $10,000 of the requested $100,000.
