Last Friday, Keker, Van Nest & Peters, in conjunction with the Santa Clara County Counsel’s Office, commenced a lawsuit in the Northern District of California on behalf of the County of Santa Clara, California, challenging President Donald Trump’s January 25, 2017 executive order that threatens to deprive “sanctuary jurisdictions” of federal funds. The executive order calls for unidentified enforcement actions against state and local governments that the Trump Administration believes are insufficiently compliant with the President’s immigration enforcement program.
In response, the County’s complaint seeks a judicial declaration that the executive order is unconstitutional, as well as an injunction preventing it from taking effect.
“President Trump’s Executive Order targeting sanctuary jurisdictions is unconstitutional on its face. It violates basic separation of powers principles, is unconstitutionally vague, denies local government’s due process, and eviscerates principles of federalism,” said Cody Harris, a partner at Keker Van Nest & Peters.
Harris, John Keker, Bob Van Nest, Daniel Purcell and Nicholas Goldberg are representing the County on a pro bono basis.
The executive order poses a serious and immediate threat to the County and its residents, Harris explained.
“By threatening to cut off federal funds to local governments, the administration has placed some of the County’s most vulnerable residents in his crosshairs,” Harris said. “At risk is roughly $1 billion in federal funds for health, transportation, education and social services. We look forward to seeking an injunction to stop President Trump’s unconstitutional and unprecedented power grab.”
The case is County of Santa Clara v. Trump, No. 5:17-cv-00574 (N.D. Cal.).