The Huntington Beach City Council approved a resolution Tuesday declaring Huntington Beach a “non-sanctuary city.” The resolution directs local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials and comply with detainer requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Resolution No. 2025-01 was adopted 7-0. City leaders called it a vital tool to protect the public. They pointed out that violent crime has risen since the state passed its sanctuary state law, SB 54 (the California Values Act), in 2017.
Under SB 54, local jurisdictions like Huntington Beach are prohibited from using public resources to assist the federal government with immigration enforcement. That means the resolution is almost certain to face a legal challenge. The city council has instructed City Attorney Michael Gates to defend the city if that’s the case. Huntington Beach has already filed a lawsuit against the state over SB 54.
"City Officials have a duty to follow all laws, including federal immigration laws and neither the Governor nor the State will interfere with that," the city council said in a statement. "The City encourages other cities to join Huntington Beach by adopting their own Resolutions."
While Huntington Beach's resolution conflicts with state law, it’s in lockstep with the Trump administration. One of the first executive orders signed by President Trump on Monday calls for federal funds to be withheld from any and all “‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions.” It also calls for criminal or civil actions if necessary. You can read the order here.