The governor made clear that the allocated funding would not be used to protect immigrants convicted of serious or violent felonies.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills on Friday that would set aside a combined $50 million to protect immigrants and defend the state from potential legal actions by the Trump administration.
One of the
bills allocates $25 million to nonprofit organizations that offer legal immigration services to people “at risk of detention, deportation, eviction, wage theft, intimate partner violence, and other actions that put their safety at risk” due to federal actions.
In his signing
statement, Newsom said the bill will help to protect the civil rights of California’s “most vulnerable residents,” including people with disabilities, homeless people, victims of human trafficking and wage theft, as well as immigrants.
The governor made clear that the allocated funding would not be used to protect immigrants convicted of serious or violent felonies. Newsom also called on state lawmakers to pass subsequent legislation if further clarification on this is necessary.
The second
bill sets aside $25 million for the state Department of Justice to push back against federal policy “that adversely impact the state, its taxpayers, and residents” through litigation.
The bills were passed by state lawmakers on Feb. 3. California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-District 29) has raised concerns over President Donald Trump’s executive actions targeting various federal agencies, as well as the administration’s recent funding freeze—which he said has affected critical resources for the community.
“Right now, Californians are being threatened by an out-of-control administration in Washington that doesn’t care about the Constitution and thinks there are no limits to its power,” Rivas told the assembly on Feb. 3. “We must ensure that our residents receive the federal services and benefits that they have contributed to and that they deserve.”
California joined a coalition of attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia in filing an emergency motion on Feb. 7 to ask a federal judge to enforce a restraining order blocking the Trump administration’s freeze on federal financial assistance.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
issued a memo on Jan. 27 directing federal agencies to suspend the distribution of grants, loans, and other financial assistance while the programs were being reviewed to ensure they aligned with the president’s policy priorities.
California has also moved to protect immigrants amid the Trump administration’s recent crackdown on illegal immigration. Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has directed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to carry out enforcement actions in various major U.S. cities, resulting in the
arrest of 956 people within a day on Jan. 27.
Newsom’s Meeting With Trump
Newsom signed the two bills just a day after returning from Washington where he
met with Trump and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to secure federal disaster aid.
His office described the meeting with the president as “very productive,” with Newsom emphasizing the critical need for disaster aid for people affected by the wildfires that hit parts of California last month.
“We’re working across the aisle, as we always have, to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need,” Newsom said in a
statement on Feb. 5. “Thank you President Trump for coming to our communities to see this first hand, and meeting with me today to continue our joint efforts to support people impacted.”
The governor expressed his appreciation for the Trump Administration’s early collaboration and specifically thanked EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for his agency’s swift action,” including the deployment of 1,000 individuals to aid with debris removal.
Newsom signed a $2.5 billion package for fire relief into law last month to help fund the state’s disaster response including evacuations, sheltering survivors, and removing household hazardous waste. His administration has said they expect the federal government to reimburse the state.
Travis Gillmore and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
