L.A. sues Trump administration over threats to withhold funding for ‘sanctuary’ cities

LOS ANGELES — The city of Los Angeles announced Tuesday that it is suing President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice, claiming that new conditions requiring police to cooperate with immigration enforcement officials to qualify for anti-crime funding are unconstitutional and should be blocked.

City Attorney Mike Feuer said he is asking a federal judge to strike down rules U.S. Attorney Gen. Jeff Sessions announced last month for Justice Department funds that have long been dispersed to local law enforcement agencies to bolster efforts to fight violent and gang crime.

Going forward, Sessions said, police agencies that want a piece of the funding would have to first demonstrate that they are willing to help immigration officials identify and detain people in local jails who are suspected of being in the country illegally.

“We’re suing to block the Trump administration from unconstitutionally imposing its will on our city.

The administration would put L.A. to the untenable choice of risking a key public safety grant or making LAPD an arm of federal civil immigration policy,” Feuer said in a statement.

The Justice Department awards the grant money to states and cities annually. In the past, the amount cities receive has been calculated based on population and crime statistics.

In each of the last 20 years, Los Angeles has received over $1 million, including $1.8 million for the 2016 fiscal year. This year, L.A. would be eligible to receive $1.9 million, to be shared between the city and the county.