CONVERSATION ON CALIFORNIA’S RESPONSE TO THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

California Attorney General Rob Bonta

Here is a press release with information that may be of interest to ImmigrationProf readers:

“The Center for Immigration Law and Policy (CILP) at the UCLA School of Law presented an hour-long interview with California Attorney General Rob Bonta to mark the first 100 days of the second Trump administration.

The conversation between CILP Co-Director Ahilan Arulanantham and Attorney General Bonta focused on the state’s role as a leader in advancing immigrants’ rights.

The two discussed the attorney general’s role in challenging federal policies as well as enforcement of the California Values Act known as SB 54. That 2018 state law ensures state and local law enforcement resources are not used to assist in immigration enforcement, including in schools, courthouses, and other sensitive locations.

`SB 54 is the law of the State of California,’ Attorney General Bonta said, addressing recent reports that some law enforcement agencies have raised compliance questions. `Their job is to enforce the law, and that means following the law. That means following SB 54. We’re fully prepared to go to court to enforce any violations of SB 54 against any law enforcement agency should they do it.’

Professor Arulanantham also asked Attorney General Bonta about federal cuts to legal services, including those used to provide attorneys to represent unaccompanied minors facing deportation hearings.

`I think California should fill the gap,’ Attorney General Bonta said. `I think it’s tragic and wrong that unaccompanied minors don’t have legal counsel.’ He added that counties and philanthropy must play a role in filling the funding gap. `I think California can do more. I think others can do more. I don’t think the State can do it all.’

CILP Faculty and Co-Director Hiroshi Motomura opened the event noting that `it’s a time when states and counties, cities and school districts are the arenas where we can reject the view that immigration is a simple-minded question of protection from invasion,” he said. “Instead, it’s at the state and local level that immigration policy can move beyond gridlock.’

The conversation between Attorney General Bonta and Professor Arulanantham is part of CILP’s continued efforts to advance government transparency and accountability in federal immigration policy.

Find the full interview here.”

KJ