A Southern California city is suing the state over sanctuary laws that limit cooperation between local authorities and immigration officials. 

The lawsuit, which also names California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta, is one of several filed by Huntington Beach against Sacramento in recent years in an effort to manage its affairs without state interference. It focuses on the California Values Act, or SB 54, which limits local and state law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities except in certain cases. 

“On the one hand, the sanctuary state law acts as a barrier to any communication or coordination. It forces or directs our local officials to violate certain federal immigration laws, and then it stands in the way of voluntary cooperation with federal agencies,” Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates told Fox News Digital. “On three levels, it’s completely improper.”

In response to the lawsuit, Bonta’s office told Fox News Digital that he plans to defend SB 54, noting that March 6 is the deadline for his response to the complaint. 

“The Attorney General is committed to protecting and ensuring the rights of California’s immigrant communities and upholding vital laws like SB 54, which ensure that state and local resources go toward fighting crime in California communities, not toward federal immigration enforcement,” his office said. “Our office successfully fought back against a challenge to SB 54 by the first Trump administration, and we are prepared to vigorously defend SB 54 again.”

Bonta noted that SB 54 doesn’t prevent the federal government from conducting immigration enforcement, but says “that they cannot make us do their jobs for them.”

Last week, Burns, the mayor, and the rest of the City Council unanimously voted to declare Huntington Beach a “non-sanctuary” city. The move directs the city’s police officers to cooperate with immigration authorities. 

In addition to the most recent lawsuit, Huntington Beach is currently fighting Sacramento on several fronts. Earlier this month, Bonta announced that he is appealing a ruling that bounced a case out of court after voters in the city approved a ballot measure to require identification be shown for those voting in person within city limits. 

Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns introduced a resolution to make the city a “non-sanctuary” city. (City of Huntington Beach)

In October, the city lost an appeal after losing a lawsuit to circumvent state housing mandates. 

“The state wants to consolidate all power in Sacramento and that’s why we’ve been in court fighting back and pushing back,” Gates said.