California is gearing up for a high-stakes conflict with President-elect Donald Trump over environmental coverage and immigration—and it’s occurring earlier than Trump is even sworn into workplace.
On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a daring warning saying he would intervene if the Trump administration rolls again the federal tax credit score for electrical automobile rebates. If the credit score is eliminated, Newsom pledged to offer a state-funded $7,500 rebate for electrical automobile consumers in California.
“[Z]ero-emission vehicles are here to stay,” Newsom stated in a press launch. “We will intervene if the Trump administration eliminates the federal tax credit, doubling down on our commitment to clean air and green jobs in California. We’re not turning back on a clean transportation future—we’re going to make it more affordable for people to drive vehicles that don’t pollute.”
BREAK
California’s environmental transformation has been nothing in need of outstanding.
Los Angeles was as soon as shrouded in a thick haze of smog, and the state struggled with harmful air high quality into the late twentieth century. Following the creation of the California Air Assets Board and the Federal Air High quality Act, each in 1967, the state started to dramatically enhance its air high quality. And now California is a nationwide chief within the battle in opposition to local weather change. It just lately reached its aim of 100 days with 100% carbon-free, renewable electrical energy for at the very least part of every day.
The state hit one other milestone this yr, with greater than 2 million zero-emission autos bought within the state.
“This milestone comes a little over two years after California eclipsed the 1 million ZEV sales mark,” Newsom’s workplace said in a press launch.
However the battle isn’t nearly clear automobiles.
California Lawyer Common Rob Bonta is making ready for a authorized showdown with Trump over immigration insurance policies, together with Trump’s deliberate mass deportations.
In a current interview with The Nation, Bonta made it clear the state will take each obtainable step to guard its immigrant communities—it doesn’t matter what the Trump administration throws at them.
“I’ve been preparing and readying for this possible moment for months, and in some cases years, depending on the topic,” stated Bonta, including, “They want to do what they want, when they want, how they want it, even if it violates the Constitution or a federal statute.”
Bonta’s workforce can be apprehensive about “the harm that will be visited on Americans, including Californians, that will be the result of unlawful activity and, in the immigration space, xenophobia, racism, discrimination, fearmongering, scapegoating,” he stated.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has backed plans to withhold federal funding from states that buck mass deportations. Trump himself has additionally claimed to weaponize the army in opposition to states that thwart his immigration insurance policies.
Fox Information host Mark Levin instructed to Homan that federal funding “should be slashed” to states functioning as sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants.
“To me, you’ve got a powerful weapon among others, which is ‘Okay, no federal funds,’ boom,” stated Levin.
“And that’s going to happen, I guarantee it. President Trump will do that,” Homan instructed the Fox Information host on Sunday.
California has the most immigrants of any state within the nation. And Trump’s feedback have unsurprisingly frightened many within the state.
“I worry about what’s going to happen to my kids,” Chanthon Bun, a California resident, former convict, and Cambodian refugee, instructed CalMatters. “It’s like you’re not even here. Your mind is in such fear that you can’t even enjoy breathing.”
The California legislation was carried out throughout Trump’s first administration. “Sanctuary states” prohibited native legislation enforcement from transferring immigration circumstances to federal border enforcement, the place the person would possible be deported.
As Day by day Kos reported, Homan is setting his goal on Los Angeles particularly.
“If I gotta send twice as many officers to LA because we’re not getting any assistance, then that’s what we’re going to do,” Homan said last week. “We got a mandate. President Trump is serious about this. I’m serious about it. This is gonna happen with or without you.”
Bonta, nonetheless, is simply as critical about defending California’s immigrant residents. He has vowed to make use of the complete weight of the California Division of Justice to dam any illegal federal actions.
“As the reality of a second Trump administration takes hold, I know there is a great deal of fear, sadness, anxiety, and panic—especially among our immigrant communities,” Bonta stated in an electronic mail assertion on Sunday. He added that “the California Department of Justice is ready to protect and defend our immigrant communities from any unlawful action that Trump takes.”
California is gearing up for a fierce battle on a number of fronts. As Newsom, Bonta, and different state leaders put together to battle in opposition to federal overreach, the Golden State is able to defend its values—whether or not it’s clear air or immigrant rights—it doesn’t matter what comes subsequent.
