UPDATE: As of December 5, 2022, temporary service rules for the City and County of San Francisco have ended. Find more information here. |
San Francisco leads lawsuit protecting sanctuary jurisdictions from illegal federal overreach
SAN FRANCISCO (February 7, 2025) — San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu announced that San Francisco, and a coalition of local jurisdictions from across the country, are filing a lawsuit later today against the Trump Administration over Executive Orders and Administration actions illegally harming cities and states that have sanctuary policies. Sanctuary laws and policies prioritize city and state resources for traditional law enforcement, crime fighting efforts, and other local and state priorities, instead of being forced to take on the federal government’s immigration enforcement responsibilities. Sanctuary laws improve public safety and have been repeatedly upheld by federal courts.
Since taking office on January 20, Donald Trump and his administration have targeted sanctuary localities and states with several Executive Orders and agency actions meant to compel local jurisdictions into carrying out the President’s policy priorities and to commandeer local law enforcement officers to take on the role of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The federal actions make clear that jurisdictions will be defunded if they do not give up their legal authority and comply.
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Climate ChangeThe San Francisco City Attorney and Oakland City Attorney Barbara J. Parker filed separate lawsuits on behalf of their respective cities against the top five oil and gas companies, asking the courts to hold them responsible for the costs of the infrastructure necessary to protect their cities from the consequences of climate change caused by their massive production of fossil fuels. |
Reproductive RightsThe City Attorney’s Office has worked with public and private partners to defend access to reproductive healthcare and ensure all people understand that abortion remains safe and legal in California. We worked with our City clients to launch a webpage to help people navigate abortion care in San Francisco. Learn more here. |
Gun SafetyFive online suppliers that had been flouting both state and San Francisco law by selling illegal large-capacity magazines as “repair kits” to customers in California have agreed to a wide-ranging injunction that compels them to follow the law. The settlement agreement improves safety in California communities and ensures that rogue companies comply with the law. |
Affordable HousingIn efforts to combat the affordable housing crisis in San Francisco, the City Attorney’s Office has taken broad actions ranging from filing lawsuits against unscrupulous slumlords and landowners like Academy of Art University to cracking down on affordable housing fraudsters. |
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