California and San Francisco officials said Monday they are suing the Trump administration, alleging federal threats to withhold funding from sanctuary cities are unconstitutional and violate the rights of residents.
Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said the state and local jurisdictions in California receive $28 million annually in law enforcement grants from the federal government that could be withheld. He said President Trump's push to end the funding is "bullying."
Its a low blow to our men and women who wear the badge, for the federal government to threaten their crime-fighting resources in order to force them to do the work of the federal government when it comes to immigration enforcement, the attorney general said at a San Francisco news conference.
A state lawsuit was filed. It will be coordinated with a similar lawsuit already filed by the city of San Francisco, Becerra said.
The lawsuits challenge as unlawful new conditions that would require cities to provide federal immigration officials access to local detention facilities to interrogate any immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally.
The lawsuits also challenge a condition that cities provide the Department of Homeland Security with 48 hours notice before releasing an individual identified by immigration officials.
