Minneapolis, St. Paul join lawsuit against Trump administration’s immigration enforcement

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Multiple cities are joining the San Francisco v. Trump lawsuit in the latest battle between the Trump administration and sanctuary cities. 

Ongoing battle over federal immigration crackdown

The backstory:

The litigation comes after President Donald Trump’s executive order threatening to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities if they did not assist with the federal government’s deportation mandates.

As the title of the executive order reads, the Trump administration said the reason for this order is about public safety and "Protecting the American People Against Invasion."

In a recent memo, the Trump administration singled out St. Paul as one of the examples of a city where the administration said immigrant criminals have been arrested.

What they're saying — St. Paul:

During a press conference Wednesday, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, city council members, and the city attorney stood in solidarity and said according to the city’s separation ordinance, city resources and staff will not be used for federal immigration enforcement.

"Nothing that we have said has been in opposition to lawful enforcement of immigration law. What we’ve said is that city employees will not be deputized, will not be commandeered in service to enforce federal immigration policy. That’s never been our job, and it never will be," said Carter.

St. Paul city council members and the mayor said this federal immigration crackdown has created a lot of fear in the community of people afraid to go to school, church, or call 911.

Carter said the city relies on roughly $260 million of federal funding. The city attorney said withholding these funds is unconstitutional.

"This lawsuit also challenges executive branch overreach violating constitutional separation of powers. The power of the purse, specifically decisions regarding federal spending are a responsibility that belongs solely to our U.S. Congress," said Lyndsey Olson, St. Paul City Attorney.

What they're saying — Mpls:

A spokesperson for the City of Minneapolis also pointed to its separation ordinance that preserves the separation between city services and federal immigration enforcement.

The City of Minneapolis sent FOX 9 this statement, "For more than two decades through its separation ordinance, Minneapolis has prioritized using its resources for the health and safety of the entire Minneapolis community. The City’s policy is clear: "the city does not operate its programs for the purpose of enforcing Federal immigration laws." To preserve this separation between municipal services and federal immigration enforcement, stop federal government overreach, and protect the Minneapolis community, the City of Minneapolis will join the San Francisco v. Trump lawsuit."