By a 6 to 1 vote, the Durham City Council last night voted to ban most government travel to Arizona because council members don’t like Arizona’s new anti-illegal immigration law. But they left themselves an “out” in case their outrage gets in the way of something they want to do. (emphasis is mine)

Councilman Eugene Brown had objected that immigration law is a federal responsibility and that any action the city could take toward Arizona would have no effect.

Brown’s substitute for the Human Relations Commission’s resolution calls on the U.S. government to reform its immigration laws. Bell added a clause that leaves trips to Arizona subject to case-by-case council review.

That’s what the council passed.

“Suspending travel to Arizona is probably going to have very little if any impact both to Arizona and Durham City’s conduct of business,” Bell said, but noted, “This is a very sensitive issue.”

The resolution passed 6-1, with Brown voting against it.

It’s sort of like what Los Angeles wants to do.