Huntington Beach Loses Legal Challenge to California’s Sanctuary Law

A federal judge appointed by former President Joe Biden has dismissed without prejudice Huntington Beach’s lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 54 (SB 54), also known as the California Values Act (CVA), signed by former Governor Jerry Brown in 2018.

Judge Sunshine Sykes of the US District Court for the Central District of California found that the plaintiffs, who include the Huntington Beach Police Department and Riverside Sheriff, 2026 gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco, did not have standing.

“The Ninth Circuit has consistently held that political subdivisions—such as a city, airport authority, health district, or school district—lack standing to challenge state law on constitutional grounds in federal court. Thus, the City Plaintiffs, as a political subdivision of the State of California, lack standing in federal court for such claims that allege violations of the U.S. Constitution…No plaintiff shows imminent, traceable harm,” Sykes ruled.

In 2017, the California Legislature stated in SB 54 that a“relationship of trust between California’s immigrant community and local agencies is central to the public safety of the people of California,” and that “[t]his trust is threatened when state and local agencies are entangled with federal immigration enforcement,” and that “[e]ntangling state and local agencies with federal immigration enforcement programs diverts already limited resources and blurs the lines of accountability between local, state, and federal governments.”

To “ensure effective policing” and “protect public health and safety,” SB 54 generally prohibits California state and local law enforcement agencies from assisting federal immigration enforcement efforts and specifically prohibits California law enforcement agencies from (1)inquiring into an individual’s immigration status; (2) detaining an individual on the basis of a hold request; (3) providing information regarding an individual’s release date; (4) providing an individual’s home address or other personal information; (5)making or intentionally participating in arrests based on civil immigration warrants; (6) assisting immigration authorities in interrogating or arresting a noncitizen; (7) performing the functions of an immigration officer or placing peace officers under the supervision of federal agencies; (8) using immigration authorities as interpreters for law enforcement matters relating to individuals in agency or department custody; (9) transferring an individual to immigration authorities without a judicial warrant or judicial probable cause determination for an immigration violation; (10) contracting with the federal government for use of law enforcement agency facilities to house federal immigration detainees; and (11) providing office space for use by immigration authorities. 

In a nutshell, SB 54 defies federal immigration law by permitting, abetting and harboring illegal aliens. According to the suit, the law “limits not only local law enforcement’s ability to carry out effective law enforcement practices, but also direct local officials, including Huntington Beach Police, to violate federal immigration and criminal statutes.” The plaintiff’s also cited economic strain and increased crime in their complaint.

Defendants Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta sought an immediate dismissal, asserting SB 54 merely sets state priorities without commandeering local resources or obstructing federal authority.

In July, in an order allowing a defendant (NDLON) to intervene in the case, Judge Sykes said that the rescission of the CVA “would affect undocumented residents of California far more severely than the public or the State” and “It is NDLON’s members who are subject to the harms the California Legislature sought to prevent in passing the CVA, namely risking deportation and family separation when interacting with local law enforcement on unrelated matters.”

In her December 1 order, Judge Sykes dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims for lacking plausible grounds and standing.

Last week, Sykes issued another controversial ruling overturning a Department of Homeland Security policy that mandated detention of illegal aliens arrested by federal agents. Her decision could allow tens of thousands of illegal aliens to be released on bond.