Over 100 Law Professors Tell Gov. Jerry Brown: The California Values Act is Good Law and Good Policy

Los Angeles – On Wednesday, over 100 law professors from across the United States, including Dean Chemerinsky of UC Irvine and Dean Johnson of UC Davis, sent a letter to California Governor Jerry Brown and members of the California legislature affirming that California has full legal authority to adopt Senate Bill 54, the California Values Act, which would limit use of state and local resources to assist Trump’s deportation force. As sanctuary policies gain steam across the nation, the letter affirms that SB 54 will “ensure compliance with the constitution.”

This show of support for the Values Act from some of the nation’s top legal minds comes one week after the Sheriff of Santa Cruz County endorsed the bill.

The letter is laden with citations to cases from the United States Supreme Court and other authorities affirming that, under the Tenth Amendment, “California is entitled to be free from federal coercion” when it comes to its own police powers. This includes the right to ensure that public  institutions “remain safe and accessible” to all California residents.

The letter also details recent cases holding local law enforcement liable for detaining people for federal immigration authorities and suggests that the Values Act is necessary to uphold California residents’ Fourth Amendment rights.

Christopher Lasch, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, said: “The Constitution is clear about California’s authority to lead the way in resisting mass deportation through SB 54. This important legislation is not only fully within California’s power, it’s actually necessary to honor the demands of the Constitution and bring a a much-needed dose of justice to temper the racialized, out-of-control immigration enforcement we are seeing under the Trump administration.”

“Trump is attempting to bully local governments into acting as his deportation force” said Jessica Karp Bansal, NDLON Litigation Director. “But as today’s overwhelming show of support from legal scholars makes clear, the law is not on his side.  California can—and must—protect its residents by passing SB 54 and keeping our schools, health facilities, and police out of the deportation business.”

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