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A federal appeals court has ruled that California’s ‘No Vigilantes Act’ violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution by placing restrictions on federal immigration enforcement. A unanimous three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit struck down the law, stating that it interfered with the authority of federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce federal immigration law.
The decision came in the case U.S. v. California, where the court determined that California’s efforts to limit federal agents’ powers could not stand against the constitutional framework that gives federal law supremacy over conflicting state laws. The panel’s ruling emphasized that states cannot create laws that obstruct federal activities, especially in the area of immigration enforcement.
The court’s action effectively removes legal barriers that California had put in place, returning full enforcement authority to federal agents operating within the state. The ruling is part of ongoing legal debates about the balance between state and federal powers in immigration matters.
California officials have previously expressed opposition to federal immigration enforcement actions, but the court found that the state’s legislative response through the ‘No Vigilantes Act’ was unconstitutional. The law is now void as a result of the panel’s decision.
There is no indication yet whether California will seek further appellate review or propose new legislation. Future developments in this area will continue to shape the relationship between state and federal authorities over immigration policy.