City of L.A. Will Proceed With Legal Challenge to Prop. 187

The city of Los Angeles will proceed with its legal opposition to Proposition 187 at a federal court hearing Monday while seeking free legal counsel to carry its case.

The City Council on Friday left unchanged its orders regarding the anti-illegal immigration initiative, meaning that City Atty. James Hahn will continue with his attempts to intervene in the case on the side of the American Civil Liberties Union and others trying to block the measure.

After considerable public pressure, the city attorney had offered less contentious alternatives in a letter to the council Thursday. Those included filing a friend of the court brief asking for clarification of the proposition, asking the attorney general’s office for instructions, and requesting federal agencies to specify any conflicts with federal law.

But with only 10 council members present Friday, there was no consensus to order Hahn out of the Proposition 187 legal battle.

The city’s attorneys are scheduled to go before U.S. District Judge Mariana R. Pfaelzer on Monday on their request to intervene in the case.

In reaction to public complaints about spending tax dollars to fight a measure approved by voters, Hahn said he is continuing to seek private lawyers to represent the city in the case voluntarily.

City Councilman Joel Wachs, who has tried to lessen or eliminate the city’s involvement in the court case, said he does not expect the issue to die. “There is going to be a very irate public, especially since (Hahn’s) own letter gives other options,” Wachs said.