Council Votes to Enforce Immigration Laws

The City Council cleared the way Wednesday for police officers to enforce federal immigration laws -- a move some fear will have a chilling effect on the city’s Latino community.

The council voted to negotiate an agreement with federal officials that would allow police to check some criminal suspects to see if they are in this country illegally, a job now reserved for federal immigration officers.

Several counties, including Los Angeles and Orange, have or are developing agreements to make the checks, but Costa Mesa officials said their city is believed to be the first municipality to do so.