Latest news with #Trump-proof
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
California contests Trump administration claim that the state obstructs immigration law
Gov. Gavin Newsom's office sent a letter on Friday requesting that the Trump administration remove California from its list of sanctuary jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration law. The Department of Homeland Security issued the list this week in accordance with an executive order President Trump signed in April that directs federal agencies to identify funding to sanctuary cities, counties and states that could be suspended or terminated. In the letter, Newsom's office contended that federal court rulings have rejected the argument that California law limiting law enforcement coordination with immigration authorities "unlawfully obstructs the enforcement of federal immigration laws." "This list is another gimmick — even the Trump Administration has admitted California law doesn't block the federal government from doing its job," Newsom said in a statement. "Most immigrants are hardworking taxpayers and part of American families. When they feel safe reporting crimes, we're all safer." California is among more than a half-dozen states that were included on the list for self-identifying as sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants. Forty-eight California counties and dozens of cities, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego and San Francisco, were also on the Trump administration's list of more than 500 total jurisdictions nationwide. Read more: A sanctuary law aimed to 'Trump-proof' California on immigration. What has it accomplished? The state strengthened its sanctuary policies under a law signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown that took effect 2018 after Trump won office the first time. Then, state officials tried to strike a balance between preventing local law enforcement resources from being used to round up otherwise law-abiding immigrants without obstructing the ability of the federal government to enforce its laws within the state. Local police, for example, cannot arrest someone on a deportation order alone or hold someone for extra time to transfer to immigration authorities. But state law does permit local governments to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to transfer people to federal custody if they have been convicted of a felony or certain misdemeanors within a given time frame. The limitations do not apply to state prison officials, who can coordinate with federal authorities. The law has been a thorn in the side of the Trump administration's campaign to ramp up deportations, which the president has cast as an effort to rid the country of criminals despite also targeting immigrants with no prior convictions. Read more: U.S. attorney in L.A. moves to 'neutralize' California's sanctuary rules In a release announcing the list, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said politicians in sanctuary communities are "endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens." 'We are exposing these sanctuary politicians who harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy federal law," Noem said. "President Trump and I will always put the safety of the American people first. Sanctuary politicians are on notice: comply with federal law.' The Trump administration's assertion that California's sanctuary policies protect criminals from deportation appears to irk Newsom, who has repeatedly denied the allegation. Trump's threat to withhold federal dollars could also pose a challenge for a governor proposing billions in cuts to state programs to offset a state budget deficit for the year ahead. Homeland Security said jurisdictions will receive a formal notice of non-compliance with federal law and demand that cities, counties and states immediately revise their policies. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hamilton Spectator
24-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Mark Carney's promise to ‘build, baby, build' has some Canadians fearing the worst
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Mark Carney is on a mission to 'build, baby, build.' And he wants to do it fast. It's a goal that was central to the Liberal leader's pitch in an election campaign dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump's economic aggression towards Canada. Seized by a desire to Trump-proof the Canadian economy and supercharge its growth, Carney has vowed to speed up resource development and streamline federal project approvals, all while maintaining environmental standards and respecting the rights of Indigenous groups and getting them a share of the wealth from the resources on their lands. But while some Indigenous groups see the Carney government's agenda as an economic opportunity, others are concerned it could cost them of years of hard-earned progress on reconciliation. 'The concern is that these Crown governments are going to get together and make unilateral legislation without Indigenous Peoples,' said Sara Mainville, a managing partner at JFK Law, which represents Indigenous communities. 'And that is an old approach that hasn't worked in the past, and it won't work in the future.' In Canada, governments have a duty to consult and accommodate Indigenous groups before allowing activities that could impact their treaty lands, but throughout the country's history, that often hasn't been the case. Now, in several provinces, a renewed push to cut red-tape and unleash projects is drawing pushback from Indigenous groups with this history in mind. Premier Doug Ford, for example, has tabled new legislation aimed at fast-tracking approvals for mining and infrastructure projects, with an eye on the mineral-rich Ring of Fire. Bill 5, which would limit environmental assessments and create 'special economic zones' exempt from many municipal and provincial rules, has garnered widespread criticism from Indigenous groups, municipalities and environmentalists, who say it could destroy endangered species' habitats and curtail consultations with First Nations communities. And in B.C., Premier David Eby has been accused of undermining progress on reconciliation over two bills that give the provincial government the power to override local regulations to speed up significant projects. 'I hope they are looking at what's happening right now,' Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of Nishnawbe Aski Nation said of the federal government in an interview with the Star, minutes after testifying at a Queen's Park hearing into Ford's Bill 5. The Prime Minister's Office did not return a request for comment Friday. Carney vowed during the election to approve projects faster through a new 'major federal project office' that streamlines the assessment process. The goal is to get final decisions done in a maximum of two years, faster than the typical five-year timeline under the previous government. And it's also aiming to sign agreements in the next six months with willing premiers and Indigenous leaders that would move away from requiring multiple project assessments and toward a 'one project, one review' system. 'No more asking, 'Why build?' The real question is, 'How do we get it done?'' Tim Hodgson, the new energy and natural resources minister, told the Calgary Chamber of Commerce Friday. 'That means breaking apart barriers and cutting through red tape. It also means doing things responsibly the first time, meeting our duty to consult so Indigenous Peoples are true partners and protecting our environment so we don't have to clean up mistakes later.' Proponents of these efforts, which include some Indigenous groups, say they are critical to reducing Canada's reliance on Trump's U.S. and growing our economy, and see an opportunity for First Nations to cash in as well. Part of the pattern in this nationwide push, and a hope for Carney's Liberals, is that Indigenous groups will be more willing to allow resource development in their territories if they get an ownership stake. 'Indigenous Peoples want to be part of the Canadian economy,' said Mark Podlasly, the CEO of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, who also called for 'early, fast' engagement and co-investment opportunities. 'That's the only way.' That's why one of the first actions Carney took as prime minister was announcing he would double Ottawa's Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program to $10 billion from $5 billion while widening its scope. 'When I hear 'build, baby, build,' I hear building capacity, building communities and building partnerships,' said Michael Fox, the CEO of Indigenous Community Engagement who also leads regional consultations on the Webequie Supply Road Project, a proposed all-season road connecting Webequie First Nation to current and potential future Ring of Fire mineral projects. 'I think we're in a different era today where, you know, the spirit of reconciliation, I think, is going to be the guiding star for public policy.' Still, with no legislation tabled yet, and the Carney government mum on the tensions in Ontario and B.C., there is concern about this new agenda. It's not just Indigenous groups with questions about the details of the government's resource development and energy goals: environmentalists and industry players have charged the government is sending mixed signals on fossil-fuel pipelines. For his part, Carney has said over and over again this agenda won't include any backtracking on the government's duty to consult. 'Really this goes to a fundamental issue, which is that partnership with Indigenous Peoples, partnerships with First Nations, has to be at the centre of our actions,' Carney told First Nations chiefs in an AFN forum days ahead of the April 28 election, as he asserted that faster decisions also mean saying 'no' more quickly when a project does not meet environmental standards or 'appropriate partnership' with First Nations. Fiddler said right now, those are 'just words,' and they need meaningful action. Mainville said it's 'crystal clear' the federal government is trying to align itself with provinces in the face of American aggression, but she's worried this new alliance could leave Indigenous groups behind, especially after the progress on reconciliation made under the Trudeau government. 'It can't be like a clean slate approach,' Mainville told the Star. Liberal MP Marc Miller, who was minister of Crown–Indigenous Relations from 2021 to 2023, told the Star that any government that resorts to inadequate consultations with Indigenous communities in an effort to speed up approvals will pay for it later, with delays and poor relationships. He pointed to the infamous Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project that was mired in delays and became a thorn in the side of the Trudeau government as one recent example. Long a source of tensions and protest, the Federal Court of Appeal in 2018 overturned the Trudeau government's approval of the project and halted its construction, the same day its owners approved a pending $4.5 billion sale to Ottawa. ' If we hadn't gotten it wrong in the first place, that project perhaps would have gone a bit faster,' Miller told the Star. 'There is a road map for engagement with communities that is relatively sophisticated at this point, and the question for the federal government is: does it observe it or does it decide to cut corners?' Miller said. 'If it cuts corners, we will find out quite quickly through the court system that that will actually delay projects. So let's get it right the first time.'
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Senate Republicans block California's 2035 electric vehicle plan
Senate Republicans block California's 2035 electric vehicle plan Show Caption Hide Caption California begins planning how to 'Trump-proof' the state California lawmakers returned to the state capital ahead of a special session called by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to 'Trump-proof' the liberal state for the second term of the conservative president-elect. WASHINGTON − The Senate opted to block California's landmark plan to end the sale of gasoline-only cars by 2035, in a near-party-line vote May 22. Republicans employed a controversial procedural tactic to skirt the chamber's filibuster, which typically creates a 60-vote threshold to pass legislation. One Democrat, Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, voted in favor of the move, against her party. The 51-44 vote repealed a waiver issued under former President Joe Biden's administration, which allowed California to set their own clean air standards, higher than those of the federal government. The move will likely escalate political tensions between the Trump administration and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
California sues over Trump policy tying transportation grants to immigration
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta filed two lawsuits on Tuesday challenging a Trump administration policy that would deny the state billions of dollars in transportation grants unless it follows the administration's lead on immigration enforcement. 'Let's be clear about what's happening here," Bonta said in a statement. "The President is threatening to yank funds to improve our roads, keep our planes in the air, prepare for emergencies, and protect against terrorist attacks if states do not fall in line with his demands." "He's treating these funds, which have nothing to do with immigration enforcement and everything to do with the safety of our communities, as a bargaining chip," Bonta added. Read more: A sanctuary law aimed to 'Trump-proof' California on immigration. What has it accomplished? The lawsuits, filed with a coalition of states against the Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security, argue that imposing the new set of conditions across a broad range of grant programs exceeds the administration's legal authority. Last month, Trump signed an executive order aiming to identify and possibly cut off federal funds to so-called sanctuary cities and states, which limit collaboration between local law enforcement and immigration authorities. 'It's quite simple,' said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a briefing announcing the executive order. 'Obey the law, respect the law, and don't obstruct federal immigration officials and law enforcement officials when they are simply trying to remove public safety threats from our nation's communities.' Cities and states that find themselves on the Trump administration's list could also face criminal and civil rights lawsuits, as well as charges for violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. During Trump's first term in 2018, California legislators passed a pioneering sanctuary law, the California Values Act. California receives more than $15.7 billion in transportation grants annually to maintain roads, highways, railways, airways and bridges, Bonta's office said. That includes $2 billion for transit systems, including buses, commuter rail, trolleys and ferries. Read more: California has sued Trump 15 times in his first 100 days. Where do those cases stand? The state also receives $20.6 billion in yearly homeland security grants to prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks and other catastrophes. Those funds include emergency preparedness and cybersecurity grants. But the coalition of states — California, Illinois, New Jersey and Rhode Island — argued that because such grant funding has no connection to immigration enforcement, the Trump administration cannot impose criteria that forces states to comply with its vision of enforcement. 'President Trump doesn't have the authority to unlawfully coerce state and local governments into using their resources for federal immigration enforcement — and his latest attempt to bully them into doing so is blatantly illegal,' Bonta said. This story will be updated. Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
RTHK
03-05-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Carney vows transformation to Trump-proof economy
Carney vows transformation to Trump-proof economy Mark Carney says he is 'in politics to do great things, not to be something'. Photo: AFP New Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to oversee the biggest transformation of Canada's economy since the end of World War II to enable it to "stand up" to Donald Trump. Carney led the Liberal Party to a dramatic fourth mandate in elections on Monday after a campaign focused on the US president's threats to Canada's economy and sovereignty. Liberals fell just short of the 172 seats needed for majority control of parliament, but with 169 confirmed wins they will be in a strong position to pass legislation. Recounts in two closely contested electoral districts saw the party lose a seat in Quebec province but gain another in Ontario. At his first press conference since his victory, Carney struck a determined note. Known for weighing his words carefully, he said that he was "in politics to do great things, not to be something". Canada's strained relations with the United States was among his "immediate priorities," he said, announcing a trip to Washington on Tuesday to meet with Trump on trade and security issues. Canadians elected him "to stand up to President Trump," he said, adding that he will act "with focus and determination." "Our focus will be on both immediate trade pressures and the broader future economic and security relationship between our two sovereign nations," said Carney. But he warned also not to expect any "white smoke" from their first meeting signaling a sudden breakthrough. Carney reiterated his message from the campaign that he believes the old relationship between the neighbors "based on steadily increasing integration is over." "The questions now are how our nations will cooperate in the future," he said. Trump "respects strength," Carney added, explaining that this was why he was preparing the country for major changes including a massive build-up of infrastructure and new housing. Carney, who previously headed the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, promised to maintain counter-tariffs on American products as long as Washington's measures were in place. "This will be an incredibly exciting time as we take control of our economic destiny to create a new Canadian economy," Carney said. To this end, he promised to abolish existing trade barriers between Canadian provinces by July 1 to expand the economy, and to strengthen trade with "reliable allies." "Canada has what the world needs, and we uphold the values the world respects," he said. (AFP)
