For Immediate Release: April 26, 2017
Contact: [email protected]
STATEMENT FROM CITIES FOR ACTION ON THE FEDERAL COURT’S RULING
The following statement can be attributed to Cities for Action:
Cities for Action applauds the decision made by the federal court in response to the lawsuits led by the County of Santa Clara and the City and County of San Francisco. The decision sends a clear message that the Trump administration goes beyond its authority with threats to withhold vital funding to municipalities. The Administration is misguided in its attempts to scapegoat immigrants and the cities that welcome them. Our cities are safer because we work with immigrants and not against them. The court’s decision only strengthens our resolve to continue to govern and protect our people as we always have.
Click here to read Judge William H. Orrick's ruling.
Mayors’ statements from across the country
Boston, MA Mayor Martin J. Walsh
“Today's injunction shows that Boston, along with other cities and towns from across the nation, will not be intimidated by threats to federal funding because we have the Constitution on our side. In Boston, there is no dollar amount that would ever change our essential character of inclusiveness of all people. We will continue to stand up for the values that make us who we are as a city."
Cambridge, MA Mayor E. Denise Simmons
“President Trump’s moves to punish sanctuary cities by cutting off funding is misguided, heartless, and ultimately counterproductive. Such a move would only punish the most vulnerable among us, and it forces the leaders of cities like Cambridge to spend our time working to mitigate the potential impacts of our president’s proposed actions, rather than spending our time focusing on critical issues like growing our local economies, ensuring our residents have access to affordable housing and family-sustaining jobs, and working to ensure that our schools are providing the best possible foundations for our children. Today, Judge Orrick has given judicial weight to what many of us have been stating all along: the president’s actions are not merely punitive and misguided, they are also a dramatic executive overreach. It is my hope that this decision will be upheld, and that the country can move on to more important matters.”
Chicago, IL Mayor Rahm Emmanuel
“The Trump administration’s attempt to coerce cities to choose between our most basic values and federal funding was not only bad public policy, we now have further proof that it was unconstitutional. The City of Chicago was proud to sign on to an amicus brief in support of an immediate injunction, and I commend Judge Orrick’s thoughtful decision to block enforcement of this illegal executive order. Throughout our history immigrants, refugees and dreamers from around the world have moved our country and our city forward, and we will not sit idly by while President Trump threatens American cities because he doesn't share our values.”
Denver, CO Mayor Michael B. Hancock
“The safety of our residents and success of our local law enforcement efforts depend on maintaining a relationship of trust with the community. That’s why Denver joined with the 34 other cities in challenging an order that has only created uncertainty, fear and anxiety by threatening punitive funding actions. As we have said from the time the executive order was issued, the White House simply does not have the authority to do this, and I applaud the Federal Judge’s ruling to that affect.”
Los Angeles, CA Mayor Eric Garcetti
“Today’s ruling by Judge Orrick is good news, and reminds us that people’s rights transcend political stunts. The Constitution protects cities’ right to create humane, sensible policies that keep our neighborhoods safe and our communities together. It is time for the federal government to stop attacking cities and scapegoating immigrants, and begin focusing on the hard work of comprehensive immigration reform. I will keep working to defend the rights of all our residents — including immigrants — and fighting to protect our own federal tax dollars, which Angelenos want to invest in keeping their families safe and our city strong.”
New York City, NY Mayor Bill de Blasio
“Once again a federal court has told the Trump administration: ‘No you can’t.’ The president is going beyond his authority when he tries to cut vital funding to cities that don’t share his illogical and unconstitutional desire to scapegoat immigrants. New York is the safest big city in America because we work with all our residents, not against some of them. We said from the beginning that a stroke of a pen in Washington would not change our values or how we protect our people.”
Philadelphia, PA Mayor Jim Kenney
“We are still reviewing the court’s lengthy order, internally and with our outside counsel. Although we are gratified with the federal courts ruling, we will need to continue to work in order to prevent our local law enforcement officers from being forced to adopt policies that would make our city less safe and worsen community relations.”
Richmond, CA Mayor Tom Butt
“Judge Orrick stopped enforcement of President Trump’s indefensible executive order today that served as a senseless demand to cities nationwide which accomplished absolutely nothing. The Trump administration has only succeeded in showing that intimidation and fear are their preferred tactics for advancing their flawed agenda. Richmond will continue to defend itself against any illegal executive orders, and our community stands against the divisive immigration policies that do nothing but cause trauma and fear.”
San Francisco, CA Mayor Ed Lee
“We applaud today’s ruling granting a preliminary injunction against the Administration withholding federal funds to cities that disagree with its immigration enforcement policies.
San Francisco is and will remain a sanctuary city. We know that sanctuary cities are safer, healthier, more productive places to live.
San Francisco’s sanctuary city laws are in compliance with federal law. If the federal government believes there is a need to detain a serious criminal they can obtain a criminal warrant, which we will honor, as we always have.”
Santa Clara County, CA Board of Supervisors President Dave Cortese
“The politics of fear has just suffered a major setback, thanks to Judge Orrick and our judicial branch, along with the support of cities and counties across the country. Millions of people across the country can continue to receive essential medical care, go to school and remain active members of their communities without fear that their local governments are being forced to work against them, rather than for them.”
Santa Fe, NM Mayor Javier M. Gonzales
“Rather than listening to cities, the closest governments to the people, and working with us to fix a badly broken federal immigration system or institute trade and immigration policies that benefit the centers of innovation that are driving this country’s economy, President Trump has opted to declare war on us. And that’s a shame.
It’s part of the fabric of Santa Fe, part of our culture and our identity, that we value the contributions of immigrants. In fact, our city’s history going back 400 years and the success and vibrancy we enjoy today has depended on it, and those are the values that won in court today. The day we give in to the fear, the divisiveness, the dangerous message that we have to hate anyone who is different from us – that is the day we lose the thing most sacred to Santa Fe.”
Seattle, WA Mayor Ed Murray
“This court ruling preventing President Trump from punishing ‘sanctuary cities’ is yet another rebuke of his misguided agenda. Once again, a federal judge has blocked President Trump’s dangerous overreach. While we review this ruling’s impact on our city’s lawsuit against the president’s order, we will continue to embrace all our residents because we know Trump’s attacks on ‘sanctuary cities’ are attacks on constitutional cities.”
Syracuse, NY Mayor Stephanie A. Miner
“Today’s order follows the law and is a just outcome for cities across the United States that understand their responsibility to protect vulnerable immigrants. Cutting off federal funding for sanctuary cities is an irrational policy decision that would take away resources away from governments that are most responsive to Americans every day. The President must be compassionate and think about the consequences of their actions and communities, like Syracuse, deserve representation that lives up to our values.
While I expect this fight to continue, it is my hope the administration can put this destructive chapter behind them and focus on solving our country’s important issues, including funding infrastructure, creating jobs for working-class Americans, and developing a meaningful urban agenda to tackle the serious challenges facing America’s cities.”
US Conference of Mayors CEO Tom Cochran
“The nation’s mayors applaud today’s decision by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California which granted San Francisco and Santa Clara County’s motion for a nationwide preliminary injunction, thus enjoining nationwide the provisions in the interior enforcement executive order applying to sanctuary jurisdictions. We stand with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and the leaders of other local governments who have challenged the provisions in the executive order.”