(IMAGN) California Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke at Shasta College in Redding on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. Newsom, 57, is among a generation of Democratic politicians under 60 who are seen as the future of the party.
Sacramento, California – California is pushing back against the Trump administration after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) included the state and dozens of its cities and counties on a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” it claims are obstructing federal immigration enforcement. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office sent a letter Friday asking the federal government to remove California from the list, arguing that the state’s laws have been upheld in federal court and do not unlawfully hinder immigration authorities.
The list, released Thursday, stems from an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump in April, directing federal agencies to identify funding that could be cut to sanctuary jurisdictions. According to DHS, the list targets communities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, restrict information sharing, or provide legal protections to undocumented immigrants. The agency said jurisdictions would receive formal notices of non-compliance and must “immediately” revise their policies.
Newsom’s office stated that federal courts have already rejected the argument that California’s sanctuary policies obstruct immigration enforcement. The governor’s office noted that California law does not prevent the federal government from doing its job. Newsom emphasized that most immigrants are productive members of society and public safety improves when immigrant communities feel safe reporting crimes.
The list includes over 500 jurisdictions nationwide, with 48 counties and dozens of cities in California. These include major population centers like Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, and Long Beach, as well as smaller cities such as Malibu, Culver City, and Huntington Beach. In November 2024, shortly after Trump’s re-election, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed an ordinance that bans the sharing of information with federal immigration authorities.
California’s sanctuary policies were reinforced in 2018 under a law signed by former Governor Jerry Brown. The law prohibits local police from detaining individuals based solely on immigration status or cooperating in deportations unless those individuals have recent felony or qualifying misdemeanor convictions. However, state prison officials remain free to coordinate with federal immigration authorities.
The Trump administration maintains that sanctuary policies shield dangerous individuals from deportation and pose a threat to public safety. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem accused sanctuary leaders of endangering Americans and defying federal law.
Newsom continues to reject the administration’s claims, arguing that the state’s approach balances public safety with constitutional limits on federal power. Still, the Trump administration’s threat to withhold federal funding could prove challenging for California, as it faces a significant budget deficit and is proposing deep cuts to public services.
Local leaders in cities like Seattle have also denounced the federal government’s strategy, calling it an attempt to coerce compliance through funding threats. Meanwhile, the administration is accelerating its efforts to increase immigration arrests and follow through on mass deportation campaign promises.
