07/10/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/10/2025 18:16
To protect millions of dollars in critical federal funding the City of Santa Rosa receives, the City took steps this week to join two lawsuits challenging unlawful new federal grant requirements the federal administration is imposing on local governments.
On July 8, 2025, the original plaintiffs in City and County of San Francisco et al v. Trump et al filed a motion seeking court-approval to add Santa Rosa, along with Sonoma County, Petaluma, Rohnert Park Healdsburg, and 27 other cities and counties nationwide, as plaintiffs. That lawsuit against President Trump and his staff, originally filed by the City and County of San Francisco, County of Santa Clara, and 12 other jurisdictions, challenges Executive Orders and Directives that unlawfully try to withhold federal funding unless local governments help the federal government enforce federal civil immigration laws.
On July 10, 2025, Santa Rosa joined approximately 60 other local governments nationwide - including the City and County of San Francisco, Sonoma County, Sonoma County Transportation Authority, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, and Healdsburg -- in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), U.S. Housing and Urban Development Administration (HUD), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the heads of those agencies. The lawsuit, Martin Luther King, Jr. County v. Turner, challenges unlawful attempts by the Trump administration to require local governments receiving DOT, HUD, and HHS grants to use local resources to implement federal policies. Santa Rosa, which does not receive HHS funding, challenges only the unlawful DOT and HUD grant funding conditions.
"The federal administration is exercising powers it does not have," said Santa Rosa City Attorney Teresa Stricker. "Under threats of eliminating critical federal funding, the federal administration is trying to force local governments to implement the President's policy agenda in violation the U.S. Constitution and the Administrative Procedures Act."
At the core of the decision to join both lawsuits is the City's ability to apply for future federal funding and keep the approximately $218 million in federal funds already awarded for critical City services. "Joining these lawsuits is an important action to ensure our city keeps federal funding for critical public safety services, human services, and capital projects," said Mayor Mark Stapp. "Just as importantly, these lawsuits will ensure we have the opportunity for federal funding in the future." Examples of current funds that are at risk include approximately:
In 2017, the Santa Rosa City Council declared itself an "Indivisible City," prohibiting City employees, including those in the police department, from using City resources or staff to help the federal government enforce federal civil immigration law. Under that policy, the City cannot impede, prevent, or obstruct immigration agents from conducting federal immigration law enforcement activities. Consistent with City policies and the California Values Act, Santa Rosa uses its limited resources for critical local services. The City is promoting public health and safety by ensuring that residents and visitors of all backgrounds feel safe seeking help from the City about crime, code enforcement, emergency medical care, homeless services, and other safety issues.