California governor wants to prevent ‘abuse of federal power’ on immigration

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Gov. Jerry Brown described dealing with President Donald Trump’s immigration policies as a balancing act during an interview to air Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” expressing concern about an “abuse of federal power.”

But he also shared reservations about high-profile legislation moving through the California Legislature that would increase limitations on how local law enforcement agencies can work with federal immigration authorities.

“We’re looking at it very carefully,” Brown said of SB 54, from state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, a Democrat. “We’re having discussions with the author. There are some changes that I think would be very important.”

Brown suggested that litigation from California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and other states could be a good way to resolve disagreements between the state and the federal government on “sanctuary city” policies, which have been a political flash point.

The governor said people in the country illegally who have committed crimes “have no business in the United States,” but said he wants to help others who have contributed to California.

“We want to be very understanding of people who have come to our state, have worked in our economy, often for decades, picking our food, working in our restaurants, working in high-tech industries, the whole range of what constitutes the life of California has been contributed to by many of these immigrants that are not documented,” he said.