SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on a court hearing in the Trump administration’s immigration lawsuit against California (all times local):
11:20 a.m.
A judge says he’s not convinced that California passed three laws protecting immigrants in the country illegally to obstruct U.S. immigration enforcement.
U.S. Judge John Mendez questioned an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice during a hearing Wednesday over an administration lawsuit seeking to block the laws.
Government attorney Chad Readler told the judge that California was clear about passing the laws to stop federal immigration enforcement. Mendez said that was not clear to him.
The federal lawsuit says the laws obstruct immigration enforcement efforts and allow dangerous criminals on the street.
California officials say their sanctuary policies promote trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement.
Mendez called the hearing a question-and-answer session and warned attorneys it could last several hours.
___
9:45 a.m.
More than a hundred people are protesting Trump administration immigration policies outside a U.S. courthouse in Sacramento ahead of a hearing on an immigration lawsuit the administration filed against California.
U.S. Judge John Mendez in Sacramento will hear arguments Wednesday from attorneys for California and the U.S. Justice Department about a federal request to block three California laws that extend protections to people in the country illegally.
Protesters held signs with slogans that read “Keep Families Together” and “Family Separation is UnAmerican” and led the crowd in chants against the administration’s travel ban and plans for a border wall.
The administration’s lawsuit against California says the three laws obstruct immigration enforcement efforts and allow dangerous criminals on the street.
California officials say their sanctuary policies promote trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement.
___
11:30 p.m.
California will find itself in an unusual position when it’s forced to defend its immigration policies against a lawsuit by the Trump administration.
It’s normally the other way around: The state has sued the administration more than half a dozen times over its immigration decisions.
U.S. Judge John Mendez in Sacramento will hear arguments Wednesday from attorneys for California and the U.S. Justice Department about a federal request to block three California laws that extend protections to people in the country illegally.
He’s not expected to rule immediately.
The lawsuit says California’s laws obstruct immigration enforcement efforts and allow dangerous criminals on the street.
California officials say their sanctuary policies promote trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.