Attorney General Xavier Becerra Files Amicus Brief in County of Santa Clara v. Trump, Supporting Challenge to President Trump’s “Sanctuary Jurisdictions” Executive Order

Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO –Attorney General Xavier Becerra today filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case County of Santa Clara v. Trump, et al., supporting the County of Santa Clara in its challenge to President Donald J. Trump’s executive order targeting “sanctuary jurisdictions.”  

President Trump’s executive order threatens to withdraw federal funds from states and local jurisdictions that the Administration deems to be “sanctuary jurisdictions.” Attorney General Becerra’s brief highlights California’s interest in protecting state laws and policies that ensure public safety and protect the constitutional rights of residents.

“Any attempt by Donald Trump to hijack state and local resources to do the Trump Administration’s bidding raises serious constitutional questions and threatens the safety of our communities,” said Attorney General Becerra. “California has a sovereign right and responsibility to protect the safety and the constitutional rights of its residents, and that is what we will continue to do.”

The actions of the Trump Administration raise the same serious concerns about public safety and constitutional violations that originally prompted the enactment of the TRUST Act. In California, the TRUST Act prescribes the ways in which local law enforcement agencies interact with federal law enforcement authorities in the execution of immigration law.

Last week, Attorney General Becerra worked to protect the rights of Californians by joining as a plaintiff in one of the suits challenging President Trump’s revised Muslim travel ban. Attorney General Becerra also joined an amicus brief along with several states in the State of Hawaiʿi’s challenge to the revised version of the Muslim travel ban. In that case, a federal District Court halted the implementation of the travel ban before it could go into effect.

A copy of the brief filed in the Santa Clara case is attached to the electronic version of this release at oag.ca.gov/news.

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