California, the most populous US state, is suing President Donald Trump's administration over plans to cut funds to "sanctuary cities" that fail to cooperate with federal efforts cracking down on undocumented immigrants
The lawsuit, along with one from the city of San Francisco, follow the lead of Chicago in arguing that the administration's move is unconstitutional.
The Trump administration "cannot manipulate federal grant fund requirements to pressure states, counties or municipalities to enforce federal immigration laws," Attorney General Xavier Becerra said at a press conference Monday.
"This is pure intimidation intended to force our law enforcement into changing the policies and practices that they have determined promote public safety," he said.
The California lawsuit will be coordinated with a similar lawsuit filed by San Francisco on Friday, Becerra said.
California, and several US cities including New York and Philadelphia, have said they will not actively pursue illegal immigrants who have not committed any crimes.
They argue that communities must decide for themselves how to keep their residents safe -- and that heavy handed enforcement of federal immigration law alienates immigrants whose cooperation police rely on in fighting crime.
The US Justice Department "placed unlawful and inappropriate immigration enforcement conditions on certain public safety grants for law enforcement," Becerra's office said.
"More than $28 million in federal funds that California uses for programs supporting law enforcement, recidivism prevention, crime victims and witnesses, and at-risk youth are at issue."
Last week Chicago sued the Trump administration for threatening to withhold federal funds on the same grounds.
Trump has targeted sanctuary cities as part of his promised crackdown on illegal immigration, and the Department of Justice implemented the new funding requirements last month.
