California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a special session of the state legislature to fund anticipated lawsuits against the Trump administration on issues including immigration, emissions, and transgender rights.
President-elect Donald Trump has said on day one he will conduct mass deportation of illegal immigrants, roll back Biden-era administrative rules on carbon emissions, ban gender reassignment drugs and surgeries for children who identify as transgender, and ban biological males from competing in female sports at school.
“The [December 2] special session will focus on bolstering California legal resources to protect civil rights, reproductive freedom, climate action, and immigrant families,” said the governor’s announcement. “This is the first of several actions by the Newsom Administration, in partnership with the Legislature, as the Governor begins shoring up California’s defenses against an incoming federal administration that has threatened the state on multiple fronts.”
Republican leaders seemed to think that Newsom learned little from the elections earlier this week, during which California Democrats suffered significant losses.
“Californians have made it clear: affordability is their top concern. Yet, even with the massive deficit he created, Governor Newsom wants to hand his Attorney General a blank check to wage endless battles against the federal government—while our own state is on fire, both literally and metaphorically,” said State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego, in a statement.
Democratic leaders signaled their readiness to fund legal resources that would support divergence between the state and federal government on immigration, climate, and transgender policy.
“Trump has signaled a deep resentment of immigrants, LGBTQ people, women, climate action, and any American who doesn’t support his extremist vision for our nation,” said State Senate Budget Committee Chair Scott Wiener in a statement. “These funds lay the groundwork for the long road ahead, as we prepare to defend Californians — and California values — from the dangerous and unlawful assault Trump has promised.”
Public sector labor unions, the state’s top political force, shared support for the governor’s efforts, and shared concern about potential new labor laws.
“We vow to defend immigrant communities, women, communities of color, and the LGBTQ+ community from the hate agenda of the MAGA fascists and their corporate and billionaire backers,” said Service Employees International Union California president David Huerta in a statement. “And we will fight to defend and build the strength of our labor movement against the anti-union attacks we know are coming our way.”
One of the main expected challenges is on whether or not California has the right not to comply with federal immigration law. In 2020, the Supreme Court refused to hear the Trump administration’s challenge to California’s sanctuary state law, which prohibits state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials, which includes handing over arrested and convicted criminals to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for deportation.
The Supreme Court could hear another challenge to the state’s sanctuary laws in the future, especially amid broader federal immigration action.
California has at least several million undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers, who receive significant state and federal support, which for some takes the form of taxpayer-financed cash assistance, healthcare, food, and housing.
In response to Newsom’s call for a special session, California Assemblyman Bill Essayli, R-Corona, called for Trump to call a special Congressional session to strip California of federal funding until it complies with federal immigration law.
“I’m calling on Congress to immediately convene upon President Trump’s inauguration and strip California of all its federal funding until it complies with our immigration laws,” said Essayli on X. “Not a penny to sanctuary states.”
