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New York, NY, March 30, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has filed an amicus brief in San Francisco v. Trump urging a federal court in California to block enforcement of the President’s executive order withholding federal funds from “sanctuary cities.”
Sanctuary cities follow specific policies and practices that keep local police out of federal immigration enforcement with the aim of building and maintaining trust with immigrant communities.
“It is critical for police departments to build deep trust with the communities they serve,” said Marvin D. Nathan, ADL National Chair. “This executive order threatens to drive a dangerous wedge between law enforcement and immigrant communities and creates an environment in which victims will be afraid to report crimes, including hate crimes. When trust breaks down and communities cannot turn to police for help, that makes all of us less safe.”
“Not only are we are seeing immigrants now afraid to interact with law enforcement, we are also witnessing a concerning spike in hate crimes,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “If people intent on hurting others know that immigrants will not call the police for help, immigrants will become even more vulnerable. We know that. Sanctuary cities have recognized that. Our hope is that the court sees the danger in this executive order too.”
ADL recently filed a similar brief with the U.S. District Court in Northern California in support of Santa Clara County’s challenge to the executive order on eliminating federal funding for “sanctuary jurisdictions.”
The law firm Latham & Watkins LLP prepared both briefs behalf of ADL.