Elected state leaders are vowing to fight back the Trump regime’s strong-armed threats to withhold as much as $4 billion in federal dollars over local measures that protect undocumented immigrant families, even though studies show that so-called “sanctuary” policies actually make cities safer. NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman:
“Despite what Attorney General Sessions implied this afternoon, state and local governments and law enforcement have broad authority under the Constitution to not participate in federal immigration enforcement.
“As my office’s legal guidance makes clear, President Trump lacks the constitutional authority to broadly cut off funding to states and cities just because they have lawfully acted to protect immigrant families.
“Public safety depends on trust between law enforcement and those they bravely serve; yet, again and again, President Trump’s draconian policies only serve to undercut that trust.
“My office will continue to ensure local governments have the tools they need to legally protect their immigrant communities – and we won’t stop fighting to beat back President Trump’s un-American immigration policies.”
“The Trump Administration is pushing an unrealistic and mean spirited executive order,” tweeted NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. “If they want a fight, we’ll see them in court.”
In California—where city and state leaders are already taking major steps to fight back both Trump’s deportation force and wall—Senate president Kevin de León called Sessions’s announcement “nothing short of blackmail”:
When it comes to immigrants and sanctuary counties and cities, the Attorney General and the President are stuck on alternative facts.
“They are wrong about immigrants and wrong about what makes our communities safer. Data shows that sanctuary counties are not only safer than comparable non-sanctuary jurisdictions but are also better off economically.
“Instead of making us safer, the Trump administration is spreading fear and promoting race-based scapegoating. Their gun-to-the-head method to force resistant cities and counties to participate in Trump’s inhumane and counterproductive mass-deportation is unconstitutional and will fail.”
Immigrant rights advocacy group America’s Voice also has a great round-up with more local and state reactions here.
But like with so many of his other failed efforts that he put out with bluster but no thinking, Trump’s threat to starve off cities and states over undocumented immigrant families could face a legal wall of its own:
Explaining part of the potential legal fight, Karson adds, "Legal experts say the Constitution's 10th Amendment forbids the feds from 'commandeering' state and local governments to enforce federal mandates."
“Police and municipal officials have been sticking by their decisions to do what’s best for the safety of their communities,” said Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, “and we will continue to stand with them in court to defend those lawful choices.”