SAN FRANCISCO — Saying they could lose more than $1 billion in federal funding, the city and county of San Francisco sued President Donald Trump on Tuesday over his executive order last week withholding monies from sanctuary cities.
San Francisco’s sanctuary status prohibits law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration officials’ detainer requests, and limiting when local officers can give Immigration and Customs Enforcement advanced notice of a person’s release from custody.
In the lawsuit, City Attorney Dennis Herrera wrote how San Francisco is a city of immigrants:
“San Francisco is safer when all people, including undocumented immigrants, feel safe reporting crimes,” he wrote. “San Francisco is healthier when all residents, including undocumented immigrants, access public health programs. And San Francisco is economically and socially stronger when all children, including undocumented immigrants, attend school.”
The city is asking for injunctive relief from the president’s order, saying it violates the 10th Amendment of the Constitution.
The city estimated it receives more than $1.2 billion in federal funding annually, mostly through reimbursements, totaling about 13 percent of its budget.¹