Santa Clarita council votes to opt out of sanctuary state law, join federal lawsuit

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Santa Clarita City Council on Tuesday evening voted unanimously to become the latest Southern California city to break from the state's sanctuary law and join a federal lawsuit against it.

The meeting ran well into the night, with people being emotional and loud on both sides of the controversial issue.

"There is a difference between legal immigration and illegal immigration," one man said.

It was an overflow crowd that packed the council chambers as the members discussed the resolution to oppose the law, which prevents law enforcement from cooperating with immigration officials.

"They are deciding that they don't want to comply with federal government whose policy they don't agree with. It seems very similar to what the Confederacy did in 1861, to me," another man said.

Several other cities have already passed laws challenging the sanctuary state law. In March, Los Alamitos in Orange County was the first to pass an ordinance exempting it from SB54. Then the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to support the federal lawsuit against the state.

"This is not an issue that concerns our city council," one young woman said.

The meeting went on past midnight, as more than 130 people signed up to speak and each one continued to express their concerns or support for the resolution.