In an emerging trend, Costa Mesa leaders agreed Wednesday to clear the way for police officers to enforce federal immigration laws — a move some fear will having a chilling effect in the city's Latino community.
The City Council voted to negotiate an agreement with federal immigration officials that would allow city police to check some criminal suspects to see if they are in the country illegally, a job now reserved for federal immigration officials.
Costa Mesa would be the first city in the nation to seek permission to enforce immigration law, though several counties — including Orange and Los Angeles — have agreements or plan to seek accords with the federal government to check suspects' immigration status. |