California Governor Gavin Newsom is once again proving that when it comes to defying President Donald Trump, no price tag is too high. On Friday evening, just days after meeting with Trump to beg for disaster relief, Newsom approved $50 million in taxpayer funds to fight the administration in court and defend illegal immigrants facing deportation.
The move, buried in a late-night announcement, follows a special legislative session that began in January, when California lawmakers introduced a bill to ensure the state’s Department of Justice had $25 million to fund lawsuits against the Trump administration and another $25 million to help illegal immigrants fight deportation orders.
Known as Senate Bill X1 2, the legislation claims it will fund legal services for California’s most vulnerable residents, including victims of human trafficking, wage theft, and homelessness. However, the real focus is clear—protecting illegal immigrants from Trump’s immigration crackdown.
“The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack,” Newsom declared when pushing the special session after Trump’s November victory.
What makes this move particularly stunning is the timing. Just days before approving this massive anti-Trump legal fund, Newsom was in Washington, D.C., asking Trump for federal disaster relief after wildfires devastated Los Angeles County in January.
“As we approach one month since the devastating wildfires across Southern California, we continue to cut red tape to speed up recovery and cleanup efforts as well as ensure rebuilding efforts are swift,” Newsom said in a statement.
He even went as far as thanking Trump for his visit and “joint efforts” to assist fire victims. Yet, in true Newsom fashion, he didn’t waste a second turning around and using taxpayer dollars to attack the administration in court.
The hypocrisy didn’t go unnoticed.
Newsom’s handling of the wildfires has been widely criticized—not just by Republicans, but by residents and local officials. During a CNN interview, standing in front of a burning home, he tried to pin the blame on Trump, accusing the president of politicizing the disaster.
Yet when Trump visited California on January 24, the tensions boiled over. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass clashed with the president as Pacific Palisades residents demanded to return to their homes. Trump blasted California’s reliance on FEMA, warning in a Fox News interview that the agency “complicates everything”.
It’s a pattern we’ve seen before—California mismanages a disaster, blames Trump, asks for help, takes the money, and then turns around and fights the administration in court.
With Trump’s mass deportation plans in full swing, Attorney General Pam Bondi, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and border czar Tom Homan have put sanctuary cities like Los Angeles on notice. Bondi has already moved to pull federal funding from sanctuary jurisdictions, while Homan and Noem have warned against any attempts to obstruct ICE operations.
Yet Newsom and his allies are openly defying federal law, using state funds to interfere with Trump’s enforcement efforts.
The $50 million legal fund is just the latest example of California doubling down on sanctuary policies, even as crime, homelessness, and an exodus of businesses continue to cripple the state’s economy.
