California city debates sanctuary law exemption

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. (AP) — A tiny Orange County city that says it won’t follow California’s sanctuary law is debating whether to give its defiance some legal clout.

The Los Alamitos City Council began hearing public comment Monday night on whether to enact an ordinance exempting the community of 12,000 from the law limiting police collaboration with federal immigration agents. No vote had taken place by midnight.

A city report argued that the law is unconstitutional.

Before the meeting, several hundred protesters on both sides of the issue rallied outside City Hall in a noisy but peaceful confrontation. The council also heard hours of public comment.

The backlash against the sanctuary law has been spreading in conservative areas that already were leery of the Democrat-controlled state Legislature.