San Jose files lawsuit challenging end of DACA for Dreamers

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- San Jose filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court Thursday morning seeking to block plans by the Trump Administration to rescind DACA and to deport an estimated 800,000 persons who entered the U.S. as minors without documentation.

Mayor Sam Liccardo said San Jose becomes the first city to step up, joining about 15 states and the District of Columbia that have filed similar actions. The Burlingame law firm of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy is covering the legal challenge at no cost to San Jose.

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Attorney Nancy Fineman says the courts have a process to handle the growing number of DACA lawsuits in an orderly fashion. This newest lawsuit, filed at 8:15 a.m. Thursday in San Jose, comes the morning after President Trump met Wednesday night with Democratic Congressional leaders, who are trying to forge legislation to protect so-called Dreamers from being deported. The clock is ticking over DACA. President Trump has given Congress six months to forge legislation.

San Jose's move was supported this morning by several City Council members who attended the Mayor's news conference at the Federal Bldg., including Johnny Khamis, a Republican. He said he sees the cooperation by Democrats and Republicans at the city level a sign of bipartisan cooperation that dials down the divisions reflected among Americans today.

The lawsuit was also welcomed by Pancho Guevara, executive director of San Jose's Sacred Heart Community Service, which focuses on assistance to the immigrant community.

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