A majority of Californians in Orange County oppose sanctuary cities, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Government Studies (IGS) poll released on Friday.
The poll found that 51% of Orange County residents oppose the state’s sanctuary laws for illegal immigrants while 47% approve.
Orange County has been leading the anti-sanctuary revolt in the Golden State, which could energize Republican voters in fall and potentially help save the House of Representatives for the GOP. The poll found that 88% of Republicans in California oppose sanctuary cities and more voters (38%) “strongly oppose” sanctuary cities than “strongly support” (32%).
“Given the political divisions that characterize voter views on these matters, this issue is likely to become a major campaign issue, not only in this year’s elections for governor and U.S. Senate, but also in the state’s many competitive congressional elections this fall,” said Mark DiCamillo, the poll’s director. “These races are taking on added significance this year, as the Democratic Party is targeting at least seven of the state’s Republican-held congressional districts in its efforts to win back control of the House of Representatives.”
After President Donald Trump’s administration filed a lawsuit against three of California’s sanctuary laws, arguing that they violate the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, Los Alamitos started the anti-sanctuary city revolt by passing an ordinance defying the state’s main sanctuary law, SB 54, that bars local authorities from honoring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors then voted to join the Trump administration’s lawsuit against California, and other Orange County cities like Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Fountain Valley, and Newport Beach joined the revolt.
The poll also found that 50% of white Californians oppose sanctuary cities and the slimmest majority of Asians in the state (51%) support the state’s sanctuary laws, as opposed to 71% of Latinos and 67% of black Californians who support sanctuary cities. Overall, 56% of Californians support sanctuary cities while 41% oppose.
The state’s sanctuary laws get strong support in Los Angeles County (61%), the San Francisco Bay Area (66%), and from Democrats (83%).
In the Central Valley, a majority of residents (52%) oppose the state’s sanctuary laws and 58% of Northern California residents outside the Bay Area also oppose giving sanctuary to illegal immigrants.
Trump last month supported the anti-sanctuary revolt in Orange County, tweeting that his administration stood in “solidarity with the brave citizens in Orange County defending their rights against California’s illegal and unconstitutional Sanctuary policies.”
The poll, conducted April 16-22, has a margin of error of +/-3 percentage points
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