By Steven Tavares.
Oakland is joining 33 other cities nationwide in aiding Santa Clara County’s lawsuit against President Trump’s executive order that threatens sanctuary cities and counties with the loss of federal funding.
The lawsuit filed on Feb. 3 seeks an injunction against the executive order. Oakland has long declared itself a sanctuary city and reaffirmed its status last December amid rhetoric posed by then president-elect Trump against immigrants and religious groups.
Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker announced the cities involvement in the lawsuit Thursday afternoon. The city joins Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, and Salt Lake City, among the city’s filing amicus briefs with the court.
“This Executive Order is just one example of the heartless, lawless and unconscionable policies of the new administration,” said Parker in a statement.
“At this point, only sixty two days into this administration, it should be crystal clear to Americans in every state, including many who voted for Trump, that this president is a vindictive, morally corrupt and unstable person who is unfit to hold our country’s highest and most powerful office. The promise to defund child care, housing, medical and other vital programs of sanctuary cities like Oakland that adopt common sense law enforcement policies would undermine public health and public safety, making our communities less safe.”
Oakland could be risking up to $130 million in federal funding with Trump’s executive order. This week, the city of Richmond in Contra Costa County filed its own lawsuit against the Trump administration over the sanctuary city order.
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