Los Angeles Challenges Threat to Deny Federal Funds

Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this interview.

Last week, Los Angeles announced that it was joining San Francisco in a legal challenge against the Justice Department over its new rules that require local law enforcement to fully cooperate with federal immigration officials in order to qualify for public safety grant money.

The new rules, announced by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions last month, require local police to give federal immigration authorities access to local jails, and also notify them 48 hours before releasing anyone suspected of immigration violations.

Justice Department Spokesman Devin O'Malley responded to the Los Angeles lawsuit in a statement: "Reversing sanctuary city policies is about more than just enforcing federal immigration law by detaining criminals here illegally — it's about re-establishing a culture of law and order, where crimes are punished and people are deterred from committing them."

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer eexplains how L.A. uses the federal grant money in question to combat local gang violence, and why he considers the new DOJ rules unconstitutional.

This segment is hosted by Todd Zwillich.