More than a dozen Bay Area jurisdictions are again suing the administration of President Donald Trump for withholding federal funding previously authorized by Congress, this time seeking to unlock money for emergency services dispersed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday aims to compel the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to disburse $350 million in funding that was appropriated for local firefighting, earthquake and flood preparedness, port and transportation security, terrorism response and other emergency-related programs.
It was joined by a total of 29 jurisdictions in California, Arizona and Washington, including four jurisdictions in Sonoma County.
Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti announced the litigation in a press conference in San Jose on Wednesday along with the city attorneys of San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland.
Other Bay Area jurisdictions that signed onto the civil complaint include the cities of Alameda, Berkeley, Palo Alto, Petaluma and Santa Rosa, along with the counties of Marin, San Mateo and Sonoma. The Sonoma Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Water Agency, and Sonoma County Sanitation District also joined the suit.
The administration has demanded an end to programs incorporating considerations of diversity, equity and inclusion, policies known as DEI initiatives, into employment practices, and has sought to condition the release of the money on agreeing to end such programs, as well as cooperate more with immigration enforcement.
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