A federal magistrate judge in Sacramento on Wednesday said he’s “strongly inclined” to allow California’s attorney general to depose two federal immigration enforcement officials who want to block California’s sanctuary laws.

Magistrate Judge Kendall Newman of California’s Eastern District acknowledged during a hearing that the state’s request to depose the two officials—Thomas Homan, deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Todd Hoffman of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection department—is unusual.