Remember when Kate’s Law passed the House of Representatives a few weeks ago? That was a pretty good day and gave many of us hope that some progress was being made on the law and order front. Not everyone was thrilled about it, though. One of the things I missed while on vacation last week was a pair of moves coming out of California designed to further fight against enforcement of federal immigration law and cement the status of both San Francisco and the entire state of California as “sanctuary” locations for those who would break the law.

The first is from the City by the Bay, where the Police Commission voted to enact additional restrictions on how and when officers can engage with immigration law enforcement. The intent here should be obvious to the casual observer. (CBS San Francisco)

The San Francisco Police Commission voted in favor of a revised policy Wednesday strengthening rules that limit the extent to which police can cooperate with immigration authorities. The revised policy includes sections prohibiting the use of city resources to enforce immigration laws or the cooperation of law enforcement with immigration authorities, except where it is required by state or federal law. Police are to act only on criminal warrants from federal authorities and not on civil immigration detainer requests. It also prohibits local law enforcement from asking about immigration status and limits the information they can share on individuals’ status.

Clearly San Francisco is upping their game when it comes to defying the law here. Some quasi-sanctuary cities have put less official policies in place which allow officers the option of not cooperating with ICE or asking suspects about their immigration status. But San Francisco has chosen to go with an all-out ban, forbidding their police from performing routine actions which would assist in upholding the law and protecting their own citizens from dangerous, criminal illegal aliens. It’s particularly ironic in light of the recent congressional action mentioned above, since their city was the home to Kathryn Steinle at the time of her brutal murder by an illegal alien who had already been deported multiple times.

Meanwhile, back in the state capital, California as a whole was moving in a similar direction. State senator Kevin de Leon has gotten his pet bill out of committee and it’s one which would, if enacted, turn the Golden State into one of the most hostile environments for immigration enforcement in the nation. (CBS local)

“During the Trump administration, the first 100 days, arrests of undocumented immigrants with no criminal record has jumped to 150% during the same period as last year. We will protect those who contribute to making California the sixth largest economy in the world,” said Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles). He vows to stop state and local cops from helping the feds enforce immigration law. Under the measure, ICE agents would no longer be allowed to go into jails to deport undocumented prisoners and they’d have restricted access to state databases. The proposal is vehemently rejected by Republican lawmakers and California sheriffs worried about losing federal funding and their grip on dangerous criminals.

Locking federal ICE agents out of law enforcement databases and physically blocking them from entering jails and courthouses is just about as far as one could imagine a state going in terms of lawlessness. That’s no longer just a policy difference… it’s aiding and abetting criminals while gutting the rule of law. With every passing week I’m reminded that perhaps we should put aside any constitutional nitpicking and simply allow California to secede from the nation. They’re already acting like a foreign country anyway.