California Governor Gavin Newsom signed laws on Friday allocating $50 million to protect the state's policies and defend immigrants against challenges by the Trump administration. The legislation includes $25 million for the state Department of Justice to engage in legal battles with the federal government and another $25 million to support legal groups defending immigrants facing deportation threats.
During Trump's first term, California clashed with the administration on various issues such as climate laws, water policy, and immigrant rights, resulting in over 100 legal actions filed by the state. These conflicts have resurfaced in the early days of Trump's second term.
The move to allocate funds for legal defense comes as Governor Newsom seeks federal disaster aid for recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area. A $2.5 billion package for fire relief was signed into law last month to aid in disaster response efforts.
While Democratic lawmakers view the funding as crucial to protect Californians from federal overreach, Republican legislators have criticized it as a distraction from wildfire recovery efforts. Concerns have also been raised about the use of funds to defend immigrants with serious criminal convictions.
Newsom clarified that the allocated money is not intended for defending such individuals and urged lawmakers to pass additional legislation if needed. The governor emphasized that the funding aims to support legal groups in safeguarding the civil rights of vulnerable residents in California.
California's history of legal battles against the Trump administration includes over 120 lawsuits during his first term, costing the state approximately $42 million. The state has been proactive in challenging federal actions perceived as detrimental to its policies and residents.
