County of Santa Clara v. Donald J. Trump, et al.
On February 3, 2017, the County of Santa Clara filed a lawsuit in federal court against President Donald Trump and members of his administration challenging his January 25, 2017 Executive Order through which he sought to deny all federal funding to any state or local government that fails to participate in the President's aggressive immigration enforcement plans. The lawsuit challenges the President's authority to unilaterally impose conditions on federal funds--a power the Constitution places exclusively in the hands of Congress--as well as the blanket denial of all federal funds, the vast majority of which have no connection to immigration or law enforcement.
On February 23, 2017 the County of Santa Clara was the first jurisdiction in the nation to seek emergency injunctive relief based on the immediate harms and unconstitutional coercion caused by the Executive Order. In April 2017, U.S. District Court Judge William H. Orrick issued a preliminary injunction blocking the key provision of the Executive Order, and in November 2017, he declared that provision unconstitutional and permanently enjoined its enforcement nationwide. On August 1, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit confirmed that the provision violates the Constitution and upheld the permanent injunction as applied within the State of California.
Final Judgment Ruling
- Final Judgment in County of Santa Clara Sanctuary Jurisdictions Case
- County Press Release - Trump Administration Concedes Defeat in Challenge to "Sanctuary Jurisdictions" Executive Order Brought by Santa Clara and San Francisco Counties - 08/23/2019
Ninth Circuit Ruling
- Ninth Circuit Opinion Upholding Grant of Summary Judgment and Permanent Injunction.
- Santa Clara County Counsel's Statement on Ninth Circuit Ruling.
Ninth Circuit Filings
Amicus Briefs Supporting the County:
- Brief of Political Science Scholars
- Brief of Silicon Valley De-Bug et al.
- Brief of Southern Poverty Law Center, National Immigrant Justice Center, and ACLU et al.
- Brief of State of California et al.
- Brief of Professors, Institutions of Higher Education, and American Association of University Professors
- Brief of Anti-Defamation League
- Brief of Current and Former Law Enforcement Leaders
- Brief of Health and Human Services Nonprofits and Nonprofit Associations
- Brief of Law Scholars
- Brief of Public Schools, School Districts, and Educators
- Brief of Tahirih Justice Center et al.
- Brief of Administrative Law Professors
- Brief of Religious Organizations
- Brief of International Municipal Lawyers Association et al.
- Brief of 56 Cities and Counties
- Brief of National Center for Lesbian Rights et al.
- Brief of Technology Companies
District Court Filings
Order Granting Motion for Summary Judgment and Permanent Injunction
- Declaration of County Executive Jeff Smith
- Declaration of County Chief Operating Officer Miguel Màrquez
- Declaration of Sheriff Laurie Smith
- Declaration of Undersheriff Carl Neusel
- Declaration of District Attorney Jeffrey Rosen
- Declaration of Valley Medical Center CEO Paul Lorenz
- Declaration of Social Services Agency Director Robert Menicocci
- Declaration of Public Health Department Director Dr. Sara Cody
- Declaration of Director of Emergency Management Dana Reed
Amicus Briefs Supporting the County's Motion for Summary Judgment:
- Administrative Law Professors Brief
- California Community Colleges Brief
- LGBTQ Organizations Brief
- Political Science Scholars Brief
- Religious Organizations Brief
Order Denying Defendants’ Motion for Reconsideration and to Dismiss
County's Surreply to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss
County's Opposition to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss
Amicus Briefs Opposing the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss:
- Anti-Defamation League Brief
- California Cities and Counties Brief
- California-Led Multi-State Brief
- California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Brief
- Civil and Immigrants' Rights Brief
- Constitutional Law Scholars Brief
- Gender-Based Violence Brief
- Individual Sheriff and Police Chiefs Brief
- Local Immigrants' Rights Organizations Brief
- Nationwide Cities and Counties Brief
- Non-Profit Service Providers Brief
- Public Schools School Districts and Associations of Educators Brief
- Technology Companies Brief
- Unions Brief
County's Opposition to Defendants' Motion for Reconsideration
Order Granting the County's Motion for a Preliminary Injunction
County's Reply Brief in Support of Motion for a Preliminary Injunction
Amicus Briefs Supporting the County's Motion for a Preliminary Injunction:
- Anti-Defamation League Brief
- California Attorney General Brief
- California Cities and Counties Brief
- Civil and Immigrants' Rights Brief
- Gender-Based Violence Brief
- Individual Sheriff and Police Chiefs Brief
- Law Scholars Federalism Brief
- Law Scholars Separation of Powers and Spending Clause Brief
- Local Immigrants' Rights Organizations Brief
- Nationwide Cities and Counties Brief
- Non-Profit Service Providers Brief
- Public Schools, School Districts and Associations of Educators Brief
- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Brief
- Technology Companies Brief
- Unions Brief
Motion for Preliminary Injunction
- Declaration of County Executive Jeff Smith
- Declaration of County Chief Operating Officer Miguel Màrquez
- Declaration of Sheriff Laurie Smith
- Declaration of Undersheriff Carl Neusel
- Declaration of District Attorney Jeffrey Rosen
- Declaration of Valley Medical Center CEO Paul Lorenz
- Declaration of Social Services Agency Director Robert Menicocci
- Declaration of Public Health Department Director Dr. Sara Cody
- Declaration of Director of Emergency Management Dana Reed
Press Coverage and Background Materials