Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is drawing up plans to help illegal migrants dodge deportation when President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
An internal memo being circulated within Newsom’s administration calls for the “creation of an Immigrant Support Network comprised of regional ‘hubs’ to connect at-risk individuals, their families, and communities with community systems — such as legal services, schools, labor unions, local governments, etc,” according to Politico.
The outlet notes that the memo is light on details, including the cost to taxpayers for such a program, but suggests that the “hubs” would refer migrants facing deportation to various service providers, share “critical” information and gather information to better coordinate statewide policies to counter Trump’s deportation efforts.
A spokesperson for the governor’s office told The Post that the memo appears to be a “preliminary” document drafted at the “department-level” and that it has not been reviewed by Newsom.
“This document is an internal and deliberative draft document meant for internal discussions as part of a number of possible considerations given the incoming federal administration’s public remarks,” Scott Murray, a spokesperson for California’s Department of Social Services — the agency that drafted the memo — told The Post Tuesday.
“It is not a final proposal,” he added.
The Department of Social Services is still gauging interest in the proposed program, according to Politico, and determining when it could be implemented.
If the plan is finalized, it will be announced in mid-January, according to the outlet.
The memo follows Newsom’s emergency request for $25 million in funding to cover the cost of legal battles he expects to have with Trump.
Newsom, 57, convened an emergency special session of the California Legislature earlier this month to make the budget request, which the governor’s office claims will “safeguard critical funding for disaster relief, health care programs, and other vital services” during Trump’s second term.
Democratic Senate Budget Chairman Scott Wiener has also proposed legislation that would provide an additional $60 million in taxpayer money for an “immigrant detention representation and coordination program,” according to Politico.
It’s unclear if those funds could also go toward the proposed “Immigrant Support Network” in the Department of Social Services’ memo.
Trump, 78, has vowed to move forward with the largest deportation operation in US history on “Day One” of his second term.
