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California Nonprofit Organizations File Amicus Brief Urging Court to Block Trump Administration Attacks on Sanctuary Cities
Brief argues funding uncertainty strains nonprofits’ ability to provide essential services, risks decline in public health and safety of local communities
SAN FRANCISCO - On January 20 and February 19, 2025, President Trump issued two executive orders directing the withholding of federal funding to ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions to penalize local governments that refuse to cooperate with the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction in April and, last week, further restricted the Trump administration from blocking funds, expanding the number of sanctuary jurisdictions included in its preliminary injunction. As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit considers the case challenging the legality of the Trump administration’s threat to cut funding to sanctuary cities, the Asian Law Caucus and Cooley LLP have filed an amicus brief asking the Ninth Circuit to uphold the preliminary injunction ordered by the district court.
The brief is filed on behalf of seven nonprofits and associations across California - San Francisco Interfaith Council, San Francisco Immigrant Legal & Education Network, Community Bridges, Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits, California Association of Nonprofits, California Behavioral Health Association, and Behavioral Health Contractors’ Association - whose members include hundreds of nonprofits that attest that the executive orders harm their ability to provide essential services and threaten the communities they serve.
Funding Threats Force Nonprofits to Consider Service Reduction as Community Members Become Fearful of Seeking Public Services
The threat of withheld federal funds is compounded by cuts to government services, creating a gap that nonprofit organizations must fill while juggling budgetary strain. The brief cites several nonprofits and member organizations that are considering reducing health clinics, meals, disability and education services, and other critical and life-saving services at exactly the time that California communities need them most.
Amid workplace raids and courthouse arrests, immigrant families have delayed medical care and declined to make reports to police. The brief cites several examples of how the executive orders, mirroring 2017 executive orders found to be unlawful, have amplified fears for immigrant Californians seeking services. The brief further asserts that when immigrants are afraid to access services, public health and safety suffer for entire communities. Extensive research shows that in jurisdictions with sanctuary policies, more people seek preventive care and greater levels of community trust foster engagement with local government. When any group of community members delays care until conditions escalate into an emergency, costs and the risk to public safety increase.
“Families are being forced to make an impossible choice between being able to care for their loved ones and putting themselves at risk of deportation,” said Aarti Kohli, executive director of the Asian Law Caucus. “The administration is creating a perfect storm: cutting funding for nonprofits precisely when our communities need us most. Also, when fear drives people away from seeking help, it doesn’t just hurt those families, it unravels the entire safety net that keeps our cities healthy and safe.”
“Nonprofits are on the frontlines of every crisis our communities face, and these executive orders threaten to make our work nearly impossible,” said Kyra Kazantzis, CEO of the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits. “When immigrant families are too afraid to go to the doctor or seek help at school, the ripple effects endanger the health, safety, and stability of everyone in our community. Starving local governments and nonprofits of resources at the same time is not just cruel—it undermines the very fabric of public safety and community well-being.”
“These executive orders represent a threat to the ability of nonprofits and cities to care for all their residents,” said Laura Valdez, Executive Director of Mission Action, which is the fiscal sponsor of San Francisco Immigrant Legal & Education Network. “Everyone should be able to participate in public life without fear. When local government is able to understand community needs, our neighborhoods and city are stronger and healthier.”
"Before there was a Sanctuary Ordinance there was a Sanctuary Movement led by people of faith,” said Michael G. Pappas, executive director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council. “Echoing its stance in 2017, the SF Interfaith Council lifts the voices of its 800 constituent communities of faith and religious institutions in support of the City's case against the Trump administration. The funding in question is critical to the faith-based social service agencies whose contracts with the City provide the safety net for San Francisco's most vulnerable residents."
"Nonprofits are the heart and soul of our communities, providing services and support where others can't or won't. This administration’s continued attacks on immigrants are intended to sow fear and distrust, while nonprofits remain the most trusted organizations in our country,” said Geoff Green, CEO of California Association of Nonprofits. “We cannot and will not let the federal government's attempts to weaponize funding succeed in scaring people away from seeking critical services and support. All people deserve safety, security, and opportunity. It is our responsibility to stand with and for all Californians."
“From our founding in 1977 to today, Community Bridges has stood with those who seek justice, fairness, and dignity for all people. This attempt to weaponize federal funds is a direct assault on local self-determination and the communities we serve,” said Raymon Cancino, CEO of Community Bridges. “As Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, when a government becomes destructive to the rights of its people, it is the people’s right—and their duty—to challenge it. We join this fight because our work cannot be dictated by fear or partisan retaliation. These dollars belong to the people; they must be invested in the well-being of our communities, not withheld as punishment for upholding America’s promise of liberty and refuge.”
“As California continues to lead the nation in advancing behavioral health equity, we cannot ignore the chilling effect that federal rulings have on immigrant communities’ willingness to seek care," said Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Ph.D., CEO of the California Behavioral Health Association. “Fear and uncertainty should never be a barrier to accessing mental health or substance use services. At the California Behavioral Health Association, we believe that no one should ever have to choose between their well-being and their safety. We remain steadfast in advocating for policies that protect immigrant families, ensure culturally responsive care, and uphold the fundamental right to wellness for all Californians.”