The U.S. Department of Justice has officially sided with Huntington Beach in its lawsuit against California’s “Values Act,” which limits local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The DOJ argues the state law violates the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and hinders federal enforcement efforts, citing recent unrest in Los Angeles as a direct consequence.

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Federal-State Clash Reignites

Huntington Beach, along with its Police Department and City Council, has filed a lawsuit claiming California’s Values Act (SB 54) is unconstitutional. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Supremacy Clause and Congress’s exclusive authority over naturalization. The DOJ, backing the city, submitted a statement of interest supporting these constitutional arguments.

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DOJ Endorses Supremacy Claim

According to the DOJ, the Values Act prevents state and local law enforcement from assisting with immigration enforcement. The statement criticizes California for barring its agencies from “investigating, interrogating, detaining, detecting, or arresting persons for immigration enforcement purposes.” The DOJ asserts this obstructs lawful federal procedures.

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Laken Riley Act Central

The DOJ referenced the newly enacted Laken Riley Act, signed by President Trump on January 29. The law authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to issue detainers for undocumented immigrants and requires state and local agencies to notify DHS of release dates and hold individuals for up to 48 hours. DOJ contends that California’s law directly conflicts with this federal mandate.

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Local Enforcement Blocked

The DOJ emphasized that California’s refusal to honor federal detainers forces ICE to meet criminal warrant standards not required by law. “By refusing to honor civil detainers expressly authorized by Congress, California has unlawfully burdened the use of these means for federal immigration officials to carry out their statutory functions,” the DOJ wrote.

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Los Angeles Riots Cited

The DOJ tied California’s enforcement of the Values Act to recent riots in Los Angeles. It claims that the law has left ICE no choice but to conduct arrests in public neighborhoods instead of controlled detention facilities. “The latest consequence of California’s enforcement of the CVA is the riots in Los Angeles that began on June 6, 2025,” the DOJ stated.

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Longstanding Opposition History

This lawsuit marks Huntington Beach’s renewed effort to reject sanctuary city status, following a failed 2018 legal challenge. Previous attempts by the Trump administration to strike down SB 54 also failed. However, with federal support and new laws like the Laken Riley Act, the city now believes it has a stronger case to pursue.

Officials Weigh In

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi expressed full support for the challenge, stating, “California’s existing state law is designed to interfere with local jurisdictions that want to carry out immigration enforcement,” adding, “As this week’s violence in Los Angeles demonstrates, the safe administration of immigration enforcement is both paramount and under threat, laws that undermine immigration enforcement at great risk to agents and citizens must not stand.” In response, California Attorney General Rob Bonta defended the Values Act, saying, “California made a choice when it passed SB 54: to use our resources to protect public safety and to maintain trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. But instead of focusing on this vital responsibility, Huntington Beach is attempting to relitigate settled law in a misguided attempt to divert its limited resources to federal immigration enforcement.”

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