SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – Community Bridges announced today that it has joined six other leading California nonprofit organizations and associations in filing an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to block the Trump Administration’s latest attempt to withhold federal funding from sanctuary jurisdictions.
The amicus brief, filed by the Asian Law Caucus and Cooley LLP, highlights the devastating impact that the administration’s executive orders could have on nonprofits’ ability to provide vital services across the state. Community Bridges joins the brief alongside the San Francisco Interfaith Council, San Francisco Immigrant Legal & Education Network, Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits, California Association of Nonprofits, California Behavioral Health Association, and the Behavioral Health Contractors’ Association—together representing hundreds of nonprofits that serve millions of Californians each year.
Said Community Bridges CEO Raymon Cancino: “From our founding in 1977 to today, Community Bridges has stood with those who seek justice, fairness, and dignity for all people. This attempt to weaponize federal funds against our communities is a direct assault on local self-determination and the people we serve. We join this fight because our work cannot be dictated by fear or partisan retaliation. These dollars belong to the people; they must be invested in the well-being of our communities, not withheld as punishment for upholding America’s promise of liberty and refuge.”
The brief details how federal funding uncertainty forces nonprofits to weigh service cuts at precisely the moment communities need them most. Essential programs such as food assistance, senior nutrition, disability services, childcare, and health clinics all risk reduction if local governments and nonprofits are deprived of stable resources.
The fear created by federal immigration enforcement further discourages immigrant families from seeking help. Families are delaying medical care, forgoing nutrition assistance, and even declining to report crimes. This not only threatens the health and safety of immigrant households but undermines community trust and public safety for all.
Research cited in the brief shows that sanctuary policies improve public health outcomes and strengthen relationships with local law enforcement, while punitive federal threats erode trust and push vulnerable residents into crisis.
Legal Background and the Role of the Amicus Brief
On January 20 and February 19, 2025, President Trump signed two executive orders directing federal agencies to withhold funding from sanctuary jurisdictions to pressure local governments into cooperating with his mass deportation agenda. Local governments and advocacy groups swiftly challenged the orders, arguing the administration lacked constitutional authority to impose such sweeping conditions on federal grants.
In April 2025, U.S. District Judge William Orrick, presiding in San Francisco, issued a preliminary injunction blocking the orders, ruling that the threat to strip billions in funding was an unconstitutional “coercive threat.” The injunction was later expanded to include major metropolitan areas across the country—among them Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. The Trump administration has since appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Community Bridges and its nonprofit allies have now filed an amicus curiae brief—literally a “friend of the court” filing—supporting the injunction. Amicus briefs are submitted by organizations not directly involved in a lawsuit but who bring vital perspectives to help the court weigh the broader impact of its ruling. In this case, the brief emphasizes how withholding funds undermines nonprofits’ ability to deliver critical services, deters immigrant families from seeking help, and threatens the overall health and safety of entire communities.
Rooted in the people-first movements of the 1970s, Community Bridges was founded to ensure dignity and equity for all residents of the Central Coast. With 10 programs serving more than 20,000 children, families, and seniors annually, the nonprofit provides essential services ranging from Meals on Wheels to family resource centers, free paratransit for people with disabilities and low-income seniors, childcare, WIC nutrition support, and more.
Added Cancino: “Community Bridges has always believed that everyone deserves access to care, support, and opportunity, regardless of where they come from or what language they speak. Joining this amicus brief is a continuation of our promise to protect the most vulnerable and to stand on the right side of history.”
About Community Bridges
Community Bridges envisions a thriving community where every person has the opportunity to unleash their full potential. Together, our family of programs delivers essential services, provides equitable access to resources, and advocates for health and dignity across every stage of life. To learn more, please visit www.communitybridges.org.
