San Francisco asks federal judge to block Trump order penalizing 'sanctuary' cities
SAN FRANCISCO _ San Francisco asked a federal judge Wednesday to block President Donald Trump's order threatening to strip federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities that bar police from enforcing immigration laws.
The city followed Santa Clara County in asking U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick for a nationwide preliminary injunction against Trump's executive order until a lawsuit against the order is heard. A hearing on the injunction request has been tentatively scheduled in Orrick's San Francisco courtroom for April 5.
San Francisco is one of several local governments nationwide that have sued to block the Jan. 25 order, aimed at about 400 cities and counties that refuse to comply with federal agencies' requests to hold residents who crossed the border illegally or to participate in immigration raids. San Francisco is both a city and county.
In its motion Wednesday, San Francisco argued that Trump's order trampled on state sovereignty and exceeded his authority.
"With a stroke of his pen, President Trump is trying to seize the spending power that our Constitution entrusts to Congress," City Attorney Dennis Herrera said.
The motion asked the court to bar Trump from withholding funds and to rule that San Francisco's sanctuary policies comply with federal law.
San Francisco on Jan. 31 became the first city in the country to sue Trump over the order. Santa Clara County and two Massachusetts cities, Lawrence and Chelsea, followed.
_Los Angeles Times
