SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legal guidelines Friday setting apart $50 million to assist the state defend its insurance policies from challenges by the Trump administration and defend immigrants amid the president’s mass-deportation plans.
One of many legal guidelines allocates $25 million for the state Division of Justice to struggle authorized battles towards the federal authorities, and one other units apart $25 million partly for authorized teams to defend immigrants dealing with attainable deportation. Throughout his first presidency, Trump sparred with California over local weather legal guidelines, water coverage, immigrant rights and extra, and the state filed or joined greater than 100 authorized actions towards the administration. The identical fights are reemerging within the early days of Trump’s second time period.
“Californians are being threatened by an out-of-control administration that doesn’t care in regards to the Structure and thinks there aren’t any limits to its energy,” mentioned Democratic Meeting Speaker Robert Rivas, in an announcement earlier this week. “That’s the reason we’re delivering laws that can allocate assets to defend Californians from this pressing risk.”
The transfer comes a day after the Democratic governor returned from Washington, the place he met with Trump and members of Congress to attempt to safe federal catastrophe support for the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires that ripped via neighborhoods in January, killing greater than two dozen folks.
Newsom signed a $2.5 billion bundle for fireplace aid into regulation final month to assist fund the state’s catastrophe response together with evacuations, sheltering survivors and eradicating family hazardous waste. His administration has mentioned they anticipate the federal authorities to reimburse the state.
Republican lawmakers have criticized the funding for lawsuits, saying the deal with Trump is distracting because the Los Angeles space recovers from the fires.
“This slush fund isn’t about fixing any actual issues — it’s a political stunt designed to distract from the pressing points our state faces and it received’t bode nicely for fireplace victims,” Republican Senate Minority Chief Brian Jones mentioned in an announcement earlier this week.
Critics have additionally mentioned the laws doesn’t be certain that funding wouldn’t be used to defend immigrants with out authorized standing who’ve been convicted of great felonies.
After signing the funding into regulation, Newsom mentioned the cash wasn’t meant for use for that objective, and he inspired lawmakers to move subsequent laws if clarifying that’s wanted. He mentioned in an announcement that the funding will help authorized teams in “safeguarding the civil rights of California’s most susceptible residents.”
Newsom introduced the plan to safeguard the state’s insurance policies days after Trump’s election in November. He convened the Legislature in a particular session to move the payments.
The state is used to taking the federal authorities to court docket over Trump actions.
California sued the Republican president’s administration greater than 120 instances throughout his first time period, based on the lawyer basic’s workplace. The state spent about $42 million total on authorized battles towards the federal authorities, starting from round $2 million to just about $13 million a yr.
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Austin is a corps member for the Related Press/Report for America Statehouse Information Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit nationwide service program that locations journalists in native newsrooms to report on undercovered points. Comply with Austin on X: @ sophieadanna