Cities Applaud Court Injunction Against “Sanctuary Cities” Executive Order

WASHINGTON — April 26, 2017 — Yesterday, a federal judge on the U.S. District Court for Northern California issued a ruling nationwide that blocks the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order passed in January, which would strip jurisdictions of federal funding if they meet the Department of Justice’s broad and ambiguous definition of a so-called “sanctuary city.” In response to yesterday’s ruling, National League of Cities President Matt Zone, councilmember, Cleveland, released the following statement:

“Judge Orrick’s ruling represents a huge victory for local control and cities nationwide against a destructive executive order that only damages federal-local relations. The National League of Cities (NLC) applauds San Francisco’s effort to seek an injunction of the order, and we welcome this ruling. We will continue to speak out against federal efforts to strip our cities of essential funding sources that make communities safer and more vibrant places to live.

“When the president issued his executive order, it was based on the false assumption that ‘sanctuary cities’ prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from enforcing immigration laws. This could not be further from the truth. The reality is that police departments in cities across the nation routinely cooperate with ICE’s immigration enforcement efforts, while at the same time building constructive relationships within the communities they serve.

“If the federal government is unable to enforce the nation’s broken immigration laws, it should not attempt to shift that burden onto cities. We call on President Trump to open a dialogue with city leaders, and work with local governments to enact real, comprehensive immigration reform that respects the principles of local control.”