CA9: Trump Can't Block California's Immigration Statutes - USA v. California

Emily Cadei, Sacramento Bee, Apr. 18, 2019

"The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals dealt another blow to President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda on Thursday, rejecting the administration’s bid to block two California “sanctuary” laws that limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

The San Francisco-based appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that denied the administration’s request for an injunction, which would have the effect of immediately blocking Senate Bill 54, also called the California Values Act, which restricts how and when state law enforcement can interact with federal immigration authorities. The statute quickly became a flashpoint between the Trump administration and state lawmakers.

The three-judge panel also upheld the lower court decision denying an injunction against Assembly Bill 450, which created rules for how employers must handle federal immigration audit requests, commonly called I-9 audits. Both bills were passed in 2017.

The U.S. government’s lawsuit attempting to overturn those laws will continue to proceed in district court, the California Department of Justice confirmed on Thursday. The Ninth Circuit, however, concluded Thursday that the government is unlikely to succeed on the merits of its challenges to AB 450 and SB 54.

... Attorney General Xavier Becerra insisted at the time that the state was “following the Constitution and the federal law.” The Ninth Circuit Court ruling largely validated his assertion. “The Ninth Circuit ruled in our favor today, demonstrating that the rights of states and the 10th Amendment continue to thrive,” Becerra said in a brief statement on Thursday."

[Link to case here.]