Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California mentioned on Sunday that President-elect Donald Trump “has made it no secret that he has it in for California” as Gov. Gavin Newsom has convened a particular legislative session this week to organize for authorized fights in Trump’s upcoming time period.
Padilla mentioned on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that there is “a variety of purpose for concern” for the second Trump administration “if the primary administration is any indicator.”
The California Democrat cited stories that Trump initially withheld catastrophe funds for the state throughout his first time period, saying the president-elect tried to maintain federal {dollars} from California households “just because it is a state that didn’t vote for him within the presidential election.” In September, Trump threatened to dam federal wildfire assist for California if elected once more.
“We’re making an attempt to inoculate ourselves from these forms of threats,” Padilla continued.
California Democrats billed the state because the “resistance” state throughout the first Trump administration. And after Trump’s victory within the 2024 presidential election, Newsom introduced that he would convene an emergency session of the California state legislature to “safeguard California values and basic rights within the face of an incoming Trump administration.” Along with bolstering authorized assets, the governor pointed to protections for civil and reproductive rights, local weather motion, and immigrant households.
On immigration, Padilla mentioned “we’re listening to a variety of bombast from Trump and his allies concerning the largest deportation operation in our nation’s historical past.” He mentioned whereas “no one disagrees” with a give attention to violent criminals, that is “very totally different than tens of millions and tens of millions of individuals being deported indiscriminately.” Padilla mentioned that offering authorized assist for communities that could possibly be impacted by Trump’s plans is “simply the California method.”
“We embrace our range,” Padilla mentioned. “Our range is what has made our communities thrive and our economic system thrive. And so we are going to help households in opposition to the threats of the Trump administration.”
In the meantime, as a “sanctuary state,” California state legislation instructs native legislation enforcement to not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers on deportations, teeing up what could possibly be a conflict with the Trump administration. Padilla, citing California’s standing as essentially the most populous state within the nation with extra immigrants than every other state, argued that the problem considerations the power for folks to have the ability to come ahead to report a criminal offense, saying “the very last thing you need is immigrants who could also be witnesses to crime to be afraid to come back ahead and share any data that they’ve within the investigation and prosecution of crimes.”
“Let the federal authorities do the federal authorities’s job, however have state and native officers do the state and native officers’ job,” Padilla continued. “There would not should be a battle except that is what Trump needs.”
Extra broadly, Padilla mentioned “there’s additionally a variety of good that may be finalized” earlier than President Biden leaves workplace, pointing to climate-related work and extra flexibility for public well being care packages to focus on psychological well being points. And the California Democrat famous that there is “a variety of good work to be completed” past the present administration if the federal authorities will proceed to assist California.
