Santa Clara County is expected to file its second lawsuit in as many weeks against the Trump Administration on Friday — this time over an executive order that mandates federal agencies to cut off funding to local jurisdictions with sanctuary policies.
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The county argues that the policies, which prevent local law enforcement from aiding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are meant to focus local resources on local issues. Civil immigration enforcement, the county argues, is a federal responsibility.
The lawsuit, which will be filed in a U.S. district court, is being led by Santa Clara County and San Francisco. Portland, New Haven and King County are also signing on. The legal action comes the day after the Department of Justice sued the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois over its sanctuary policies.
“The federal government does not have the legal authority to strongarm local jurisdictions into using their own resources to serve the federal government’s immigration priorities,” Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti said in a news release. “The Trump Administration does not have the right to take over our local resources and effectively conscript our own law enforcement officers into being federal immigration enforcement agents.”
Following President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order, the Department of Justice sent out two memos — on Jan. 22 and Feb. 5 — telling its staff to investigate and prosecute any state or local official that doesn’t assist in immigration enforcement.
“The orders coming from this federal administration are flagrant, unconstitutional threats against state and local governments across the nation,” Santa Clara County Executive James Williams said. “This is the next chapter of the same playbook that was used eight years ago.”
In 2017, Santa Clara County sued the Trump Administration over a similar order and won.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
