President Trump on Wednesday cheered a decision by officials in Orange County, Calif., to join a federal lawsuit seeking to block California’s so-called sanctuary laws.
“My Administration stands in solidarity with the brave citizens in Orange County defending their rights against California’s illegal and unconstitutional Sanctuary policies,” Trump tweeted.
“California’s Sanctuary laws release known dangerous criminals into communities across the State. All citizens have the right to be protected by Federal law and strong borders,” he added.
{mosads}
The president’s tweets came a day after the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to join a Justice Department lawsuit that seeks to block California state laws that Trump administration officials say prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration agents.
Orange County is the third most populous county in California, with roughly 3.2 million people.
The Trump administration has made a priority of cracking down on so-called sanctuary cities — jurisdictions that do not fully cooperate with federal immigration officials.
Just days after the inauguration, Trump issued an executive order seeking to withhold federal funds from cities that do not fully cooperate with federal immigration agents. A judge struck that order down in November, however, ruling that it violated the Fifth and Tenth amendments of the U.S. Constitution.