At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they don’t work here. SAD!!!
— Jerry Brown (@JerryBrownGov) March 7, 2018
BREAKING: Justice Dept. to sue California over ‘sanctuary’ laws that aid those in U.S. illegally https://t.co/r6I9tVev9J
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) March 7, 2018
I swear, these revanchists share some weird fantasy about a reverse-1860s (un)Civil War, where the bigots and blood profiteers cast out all the less-retrograde states and declare the rump (and the Treasury) their fiefdom. Because STATES RIGHTS!!! doesn’t apply, when the state fails to comply with Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III’s prejudices:
The Justice Department dramatically escalated its war on “sanctuary” jurisdictions Tuesday, alleging in a lawsuit that the state of California has violated the Constitution with laws that are friendly to undocumented immigrants.
In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento just after 9 p.m. Eastern time, the Justice Department alleged that three recently enacted California laws obstruct enforcement of federal immigration law and harm public safety.
The Justice Department asked a federal judge to block the California laws, which restrict how state businesses and law enforcement agencies can cooperate with immigration authorities. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is to address the lawsuit in a speech Wednesday at the California Peace Officers Association’s 26th Annual Law Enforcement Day, saying, in part: “We are fighting to make your jobs safer and to help you reduce crime in America. And I believe we are going to win,” according to an excerpt of his prepared remarks.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) said Tuesday night that while he had yet to examine what the Justice Department filed, he felt the state was abiding by the Constitution and cooperating with its federal partners to foster public safety.
“States and local jurisdictions have the right to determine which policies are best for their communities,” he said…
This lawsuit is the legal equivalent of Jeff SessIons standing outside the White House holding a boom box playing “In Your Eyes” for Donald Trump. https://t.co/bqtKAOJt8c
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) March 7, 2018
Sessions whole reason for being is permission and power to inflict harm on people like this and to break the power of those who would stop him. It's why he took the job. That he would pursue it with vigor is not a signal to Trump, it's the policy area they already agree on most.
— Kelsey D. Atherton (@AthertonKD) March 7, 2018
Racist Authoritarians Open Thread: California Schemin’Post + Comments (160)