Wells, who decried illegal immigration during his recent unsuccessful attempt to unseat Congressional Rep. Sara Jacobs, announced on social media that his resolution before the council had failed 3-2.

The El Cajon City Council voted down a resolution proposed by Mayor Bill Wells that declared the city's intent to support President Trump's deportation policies, which contradict California state laws limiting local government involvement in immigration activity.

At the heart of the discussion was to what extent city police are legally able to assist immigration officials under Senate Bill 54, a California law that restricts the role local law enforcement can play in immigration enforcement but also has allowances for working with federal officers to address violent criminals.