California Attorney General Xavier Becerra: “We're In The Public Safety Business, Not The Deportation Business”  

Thursday, November 16, 2017
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO – Yesterday the Trump Administration sent letters to 29 state and local jurisdictions, including 12 in California, alleging that the jurisdictions may not be eligible for critical public safety funding. Earlier in the day, before the federal government sent out the 29 letters, a federal court in Pennsylvania issued a preliminary injunction blocking the federal government from withholding funding from the City of Philadelphia. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued the following statement in response to the Administration’s allegations concerning California:

“This recurring attempt by the Trump Administration to unlawfully cut off funding to local law enforcement agencies is a low blow to the men and women who wear the uniform. Our peace officers work hard to earn the trust and cooperation of our communities to keep our families safe, including immigrant families. California will not be unlawfully bullied into doing the federal government's bidding or work. We're in the public safety business, not the deportation business.”

Attorney General Becerra is currently challenging in federal court the Trump Administration’s attempt to impose its immigration enforcement priorities as conditions for federal public safety funding.

Specifically, the State of California is challenging the imposition of three conditions on applicants for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (“JAG”) and Community Oriented Policing Services (“COPS”) grant, worth over $30 million in federal funding to the State and its local jurisdictions.  On November 7, the State of California filed a motion seeking to prevent the federal government from enforcing a funding condition requiring compliance with 8 U.S.C. 1373.  In that motion, the State of California argues that the condition requiring compliance with Section 1373 and the federal government’s interpretation of Section 1373 is unlawful and violates the United States Constitution.  The Attorney General’s most recent complaint and preliminary injunction in the case is below.

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