
Santa Rosa is not officially declared a 'sanctuary city' as is San Francisco.
San Francisco, Santa Clara County, Portland, Oregon and Washington state's King County are just a few of the cities and counties suing the Trump administration in an effort to stop punishments for "sanctuary" laws.
Santa Rosa is now joining that suit.
When Donald Trump took office for a second term in January, one of his first actions directed local authorities to help enforce immigration efforts - just as he had done in 2017. Trump has also ordered the US Attorney General and director of Homeland Security to withhold federal funds from jurisdictions that do not participate.
That's put places like San Francisco in a precarious position.
The city has offered legal safeguards to law abiding undocumented migrants since 1989, and San Francisco is once again leading the charge in a lawsuit against Trump Administration's policies.
Santa Rosa is following suit, said Mayor Mark Stapp.
"The city council directed the city attorney last Tuesday to to apply to have the city be part of that litigation," Stapp told KRCB News. "My understanding is that it's still in process."
Stapp said the city's goal is to get some clarity on what its legal obligations are.
"Every California city, including Santa Rosa, is caught in a vice right now between the federal government and the California state government," Stapp said. "Because of Senate bill 54, which prohibits California cities from assigning any resources to assist with ICE. Since even if there was a California city that wanted to assign resources, and Santa Rosa certainly isn't one of those. So that city is prohibited."
Stapp said the uncertainty threatens wildfire recovery, public safety programs, and transportation infrastructure.
"It's putting as much as $47 million of federal funding at risk," Stapp said. "Plus, it is keeping us from applying for future federal grants."
Stapp said Santa Rosa is committed to it's indivisible city ordinance.
"We are absolutely going to be looking at every option that we have to to continue to create a safe and healthy city for our residents," Stapp said.
Stapp also clarified Santa Rosa is not officially declared a 'sanctuary city' as is San Francisco.