State government

California will file separate lawsuit over end of DACA program, attorney general says

Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)

California plans its own lawsuit against the federal government because it is disproportionately harmed by President Trump’s plan to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Wednesday.

Becerra outlined his plans after 15 other states, including New York and Washington, filed their own lawsuit Wednesday challenging the end of the DACA program, which protects children who were brought into the country illegally from deportation.

With a quarter of the 800,000 DACA participants coming from California, the state and its economy will be hurt more than other states, Becerra said,

“I think everyone recognizes the scope and breadth of the Trump decision to terminate DACA hits hardest here,” Becerra said in an interview.

The federal lawsuit will be filed in California, he said.

“California will sue the Trump Administration over its termination of the DACA program for one simple reason,” Becerra said. “Our state has become the world’s sixth-largest economy due in part to the success of over 200,000 Dreamers whose livelihoods have been put at risk by President Trump’s wrong-headed decision on DACA.”

Updated 5:35 pm to include state in which lawsuit would be filed and additional comment.