As federal immigration policies tighten under President Trump's re-election, advocacy groups and state leaders in California, New York, Illinois, and Washington are bracing for impact and readying their defenses. According to an article by Smart Cities Dive, California is set to bolster its legal budget in a special session on December 2 to prepare for anticipated policy changes targeting immigrants, climate regulation, and reproductive rights. This protective stance comes as Trump plans to utilize the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to detain and deport millions of immigrants.
In contrast to the forthcoming federal stance, advocates in New York are offering up "Project Hope," proclaimed at a City Hall rally as a local policy stronghold against potential harsh measures. This includes calls for strengthening sanctuary laws and increasing funding for immigration legal services. "President-elect Trump, New York City has a message for you," Christine Quinn, CEO of Win, told Gothamist. "It's 'Project 2025, drop dead.'"
Not only state governments but also advocacy groups gear up for a second round of legal clashes against the Trump administration. The Smart Cities Dive reveals that organizations like the ACLU have plans to oppose Trump's policies. They are prepared to fight back with litigation against actions violating civil liberties. In an era when the Dobbs ruling by the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, the Comstock Act might be used by the DOJ to criminalize mailing drugs for medical abortions, a potential flashpoint for conflict.
A new resistance from the Empire State materializes as Governor Kathy Hochul spearheads an initiative to safeguard New Yorkers from federal policy threats, as noted by Smart Cities Dive. "We will work each and every day to defend Americans, no matter what this new administration throws at us," New York Attorney General Letitia James stated in a press release. Combatting the administration, California, and New York are planning to raise bulwarks of legality against policies seen as transgressions on the environment, immigration, and reproductive rights.
Groups like Win, the New York Legal Assistance Group, and the Coalition for the Homeless, as reported by Gothamist, have presented a united front at the rally, calling for shelters to cease evictions of migrants and advocating for the creation of a new statewide housing voucher program to aid in transitioning out of shelters. As fears of heightened detentions loom, the shelters that offer warmth and security for the houseless also cast shadows of danger for the city's migrant population under strict federal surveillance.
