San Francisco has challenged the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s order to deny federal money to cities that embrace policies as sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants.
The city became the first Tuesday to file a federal lawsuit challenging the executive order.
“In blatant disregard of the law, the President of the United States seeks to coerce local authorities into abandoning what are known as “Sanctuary City” laws and policies,” the lawsuit states.
The complaint alleges the executive order, signed Jan. 25, violates the 10th Amendment of the Constitution, which reserves to states powers that are not specifically given to the federal government ion the Constitution.
San Francisco has been a sanctuary city since 1989. By law it limits when city employees and agencies may assist the enforcement of federal immigration law. The laws prohibit city workers from using funds to help enforce immigration law and specifically prohibit local police from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The city argues it is stronger when all children, including undocumented immigrants, attend school. The city also keeps health information confi9dential and encourages the undocumented to report crimes against them and to provide testimony as witnesses without fear of deportation.
San Francisco receives $1.2 billion annually in federal funds, or about 13 percent of its annual budget.
Other sanctuary cities include New York, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Santa Clara, Minneapolis and Houston.
Case: City of San Francisco v. Trump, No. 17-cv-485
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