SAN BERNARDINO >> Opponents of illegal immigration gathered downtown Monday to demand Gov. Jerry Brown veto a bill that would limit the use of state and local public resources to aid federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in deportation actions.

The “sanctuary state” bill, Senate Bill 54, passed Saturday on a party-line vote.

Brown announced his support after the top state Senate leader agreed to water down the bill and preserve authority for jail and prison officials to cooperate with immigration officers in many cases.

The dozen protesters attracted a handful of counter-protesters for a roughly two-hour showdown, which was nonviolent.

We The People Rising protests #SB54 across the street from the Mexican Consulate in San Bernardino, as counterprotestors face off pic.twitter.com/aTclR9JcxY — Ryan Hagen (@rmhagen) September 18, 2017

The protesters gathered in front of City Hall after meeting with an official in the Mexican Consulate, which is across the street. They object to the consulate distributing information about, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals act, or DACA, and advice on what to do if immigration officers arrive at your home.

They demanded that Brown focus on California citizens, rather than non-citizens.

“Gov. Brown, get off your duff and do your job,” said Paul Rodriguez Jr., coordinator of America First Latinos, into a megaphone. “If you don’t do your job, we will remove you one way or another.”

In an interview afterward, Rodriguez said he was referring to removing legislators by beating them in an election, recalling them or prosecuting them.

The protesters also signed a petition that sent to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, asking that if Brown does sign the law then the federal government nullify it.

“SB 54 rewards those who break federal immigration laws,” the petition reads. “We the undersigned call upon the U.S. Department of Justice to take immediate legal action to restore law and order in the State of California.”

Shortly after the protest began, counter-protesters began confronting them from the other side of the island in front of City Hall, calling out “If you want an all-white nation, go back to Europe” and chanting.

“We heard that they were going to be here, and we wanted to oppose their message of hate,” said Erika Paz, an immigrant rights advocate.