Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, a Republican, said on Friday he does not support a lawsuit filed last week by the city of El Cajon seeking to overturn California’s immigrant sanctuary law. The law prohibits cooperation with immigration enforcement efforts except with people convicted of violent crimes.
The lawsuit, spearheaded by El Cajon Mayor Bill Wills, also a Republican, argues that California’s sanctuary policy limiting local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities forces cities to violate either federal or state law when deciding whether to assist federal agents.
Local Democratic politicians assailed the El Cajon lawsuit after the city filed it. Until now, observers wondered whether other San Diego-area Republican leaders would join in supporting the suit.
McCann, who has come under fire in his city for recusing himself from votes on a recent local sanctuary policy, said in response to questions from Voice of San Diego he “definitely would not support a similar legal action [to El Cajon’s] in Chula Vista.”
“Public safety is always the most important issue for me, and the Chula Vista Police Department does an excellent job at keeping our city safe…within the guidelines of state law,” McCann said.
McCann did not go so far as to offer blanket support for all unauthorized immigrants.
In his statement, he took pains to clarify that “I voted for Chula Vista to become a welcoming city for legal immigrants. Immigrants and their families want violent criminals, rapists and pedophiles out of their neighborhood.”