Media Contact

ACLU SoCal Communications & Media Advocacy, 213-977-5252, communications@aclusocal.org

March 20, 2018

SANTA ANA — Please attribute the following statement to Sameer Ahmed, staff attorney at the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, in regards to Los Alamitos City Council's recent vote to exempt the city from the California Values Act, SB54:

"The ACLU strongly opposes the initial vote by the city of Los Alamitos to approve an ordinance exempting the city from the California Values Act. The ordinance, if given final approval, would be a blatant violation of the city’s obligation to follow state law.

"City council members claim they want to uphold the U.S. Constitution, but their vote does the exact opposite. The state of California has every right under the Constitution to protect the safety and well-being of all of its residents, and ensure that its resources are not being used to enforce federal immigration laws that fuel mass deportations, separate families and spread fear through immigrant communities."