Home California Attorney General Becerra Sues Trump Administration for Imposing Grant Conditions Targeted at “Sanctuary Jurisdictions”

Attorney General Becerra Sues Trump Administration for Imposing Grant Conditions Targeted at “Sanctuary Jurisdictions”

by ECT

AG Becerra: Local law enforcement, whose job is to keep our communities safe, cannot be forced to do the federal government’s job of  immigration

New conditions placed on federal public safety grants violate the Constitution, deny our cops and taxpayers the public safety resources they deserve, and decrease the safety of all Californians

SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for its unconstitutional attempt to force California law enforcement officials to engage in federal immigration enforcement, rather than allow them to use their discretion to determine how best to keep their communities safe.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice placed unlawful and inappropriate immigration enforcement conditions on certain public safety grants for law enforcement.  This action jeopardizes critical crime fighting resources and threatens the safety of California residents.  More than $28 million in federal funds that California uses for programs supporting law enforcement, recidivism prevention, crime victims and witnesses, and at-risk youth are at issue.

“The Trump Administration cannot manipulate federal grant fund requirements to pressure states, counties or municipalities to enforce federal immigration laws,” said Attorney General Xavier Becerra. “By placing unconstitutional immigration enforcement conditions on public safety grants, the Trump Administration is threatening to harm a range of law enforcement initiatives across California. This is pure intimidation intended to force our law enforcement into changing the policies and practices that they have determined promote public safety. It’s a low blow to our brave men and women who wear the badge, and to the communities they serve. We will fight these unlawful federal actions that would make California less safe.”

Congress has appropriated $28.3 million in law enforcement funding grants to California through the Edward Byrnes Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program (JAG). Every state is entitled by law to a share of these formula JAG funds. For the first time, however, the U.S. Department of Justice is imposing two so-called “special conditions” on receipt of JAG funds to force state and local law enforcement to engage in federal immigration enforcement.

President Trump signed an Executive Order on January 25 seeking to withhold federal funding for so-called “sanctuary jurisdictions.” This Executive Order has been the subject of legal challenges. Pursuant to a court order, the Executive Order is subject to a nationwide injunction at this time.

Attorney General Becerra has consistently pushed back on the federal government’s threats over so-called “sanctuary jurisdiction” policies. In June, he led nine states and the District of Columbia in filing a friend-of-the-court brief in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, in support of the City and County of San Francisco, the County of Santa Clara, and the City of Richmond in their challenge to the Trump Administration’s executive order targeting “sanctuary jurisdictions.” In March, Attorney General Becerra filed two separate amicus briefs in support of the City and County of San Francisco and the County of Santa Clara, respectively, as they challenged the Trump Administration’s Executive Order.

In May, Attorney General Becerra joined four other states and the District of Columbia in releasing a report that refutes the Trump Administration’s claims on so-called “sanctuary jurisdiction” policies. The “Setting the Record Straight on Local Involvement in Federal Civil Immigration Enforcement: The Facts and The Laws,” report outlines how the experience of many local law enforcement agencies has led them to conclude that public safety is better served by focusing their time and resources on combatting and apprehending dangerous criminals and establishing trust and cooperation with law-abiding immigrant communities rather than focusing on immigration enforcement.

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10 comments

US Citizen Aug 14, 2017 - 5:44 pm

What a waste of our public tax dollars.
BECERRA , stop wasting my tax dollars. Abide by federal laws and quit wasting my tax dollars. You’re frivolous lawsuit energy, money, and time can be better applied to legal citizens of the United States of America who really need it.

Lola Saavedra Aug 14, 2017 - 11:23 pm

One cannot sue a sitting president. Doesn’t Becerra know that?

Old Pittsburg/Antioch Hwy Border Aug 15, 2017 - 7:09 am

California wants to make laws that they can not afford. Live within your abilities and no Federal monies can be withheld to sway your actions. Isn’t this grant meant to support law enforcement in enforcing Federal immigration law?

@ Well Folks #36 Aug 15, 2017 - 9:23 am

If you’re not sick of illegal immigration, you’re not thinking clearly.

D Aug 15, 2017 - 10:30 am

Just like Moonbeam at the State of the State address talking badly about Trump and the Federal Government and how California was going to do what it wanted as he continued to slam his fist into the podium. Then the Orville Dam issues happened and he immediately began asking for Money from the Federal Governemwnt he had just said he would not follow. Talk about a** in hand….

Here we go again, California wants to makes it’s own immigration laws that benefit the illegals who are bot even supposed to be here even though they are in direct conflict with the Federal laws, but we still want our funding. Not sure where the Supremacy Clause is on this and how this is even an issue, because my understanding is that Federal law superceeds state law no matter what this idiot wants to do with Sanctuary State/Cities.

Nick Aug 15, 2017 - 10:35 am

REPEAL SANCTUARY CITIES!!!! REMOVE ALL ILLEGALS!!!!! SAVE TAX DOLLARS!!!!

The Welfare State Aug 15, 2017 - 11:36 am

I think using public money to defend foreigners by this lawsuit is a miss use of public funds and BECERRA should be jailed along with any other plaintiffs for miss-using public tax payer money.

Nick Aug 15, 2017 - 3:33 pm

There’s more than one Nick here. The other Nick is quite the racist – but I understand his point.

Jib Jab Aug 16, 2017 - 11:05 am

Remember this; Becerra has his eye on the Governor’s seat. He is priming himself to run for that office.

He is what is WRONG with California.

Time to dump this asshat!

Biff Bikerston Aug 19, 2017 - 3:25 pm

0-for-9 in comments. Public education has apparently failed many of my fellow citizens….

Comments are closed.