(Photo: Attorney General Xavier Becerra and San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera talk with reporters)
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced a lawsuit Monday against the U.S. Department of Justice -- over the Feds' threats to withhold law enforcement grant money because of so-called "sanctuary city" policies.
"It's a low blow to our men and women who wear the badge, for the federal government to threaten their crime fighting resources," Becerra said at a news conference in San Francisco.
More than $28-million in annual grants were jeopardized by new demands local agencies agree to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents access to jails and information about potential deportees about to be released.
Becerra said his office's lawsuit was filed in concert with two similar actions filed by the San Francisco City Attorney's Office.
Earlier this year the Justice Department sent letters to some cities with sanctuary policies that warned certain grant money would be withheld if the cities failed to fully cooperate with immigration enforcement efforts.
The City of Los Angeles has said it receives about $118-million each year in law enforcement grant money that could be in jeopardy based on the DOJ warnings, though so far, L.A. has not received a specific warning from the Feds.