California prepares to fight Trump on
immigration, other issues
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[December 06, 2016]
By Sharon Bernstein
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - Lawmakers in
Democrat-controlled California are already laying the groundwork to
fight President-elect Donald Trump's conservative populist agenda.
On Monday, leaders of both houses of the legislature introduced measures
to protect undocumented immigrants in the state from efforts by a Trump
administration to deport them once the billionaire businessman takes
office Jan. 20.
The bills followed closely on Democratic Governor Jerry Brown’s
nomination of U.S. Representative Xavier Becerra as attorney general, a
high-ranking Democrat who challenged the incoming administration to
"come at us" on such issues as climate change, immigration and worker
protections.
"Immigrants are a part of California’s history, our culture, and our
society," said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, a Democrat from Los
Angeles, responding to Trump's calls to deport undocumented immigrants
and build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
"We are telling the next Administration and Congress: if you want to get
to them, you have to go through us."
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California voted decisively for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8
presidential election, choosing the former first lady over Trump by 28
percentage points.
Democrats hold two-thirds majorities in both houses of the legislature,
and every statewide office. The most populous U.S. state, California has
more than 2.7 million undocumented immigrants - about 7 percent of its
39 million population.
Brown's nomination of Becerra last week positions the state to fight
back against efforts to weaken progressive policies with a reliably
progressive attorney general steeped in the ways of Washington.
On its first day back from recess on Monday the legislature passed
resolutions urging Trump to abandon his deportation promise, and
introduced two bills aimed at protecting immigrants.
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![](../images/120616pics/news_f11.jpg)
U.S. Representative Xavier Becerra (D-CA) speaks on the final night
of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
U.S. July 28, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar
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One measure would set up a fund to pay for lawyers for immigrants
facing deportation. Another would train criminal defense attorneys
in immigration law.
At a news conference on Monday, Brown and Becerra avoided
antagonistic language about Trump.
But both men promised to protect the state's interests.
"I don't think California is out there to pick fights," Becerrra
said. "But we certainly will stand up for the rights that we do
have."
The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request
for comment. But Republican leader Chad Mayes of Yucca Valley
criticized the legislature's moves.
"Democrats stole a page out of President-Elect Trump’s campaign
playbook and pushed a rhetorical, divisive agenda designed to
inflame tensions many of us seek to soothe," Mayes said.
(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Andrew Hay)
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