While some officials are looking to resist certain policies, Trump’s border czar is warning against attempting to block the federal government.
Lead law enforcement officials in some states are strategizing their responses to expected policy decisions from President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, while one Cabinet appointee has cautioned against interfering with immigration plans.
Attorneys general of California, Washington, New York, and New Jersey have all voiced a readiness since Election Day to file lawsuits against the Trump administration regarding a host of issues, including deportation plans, environmental protections, and abortion.
While state attorneys general historically focus on statewide issues, they began taking more federal actions in Barack Obama’s administration, with 62 multistate lawsuits filed.
“Neither side likes [litigation] when they’re in power, but when you’re out of power, you like it, and you use it a lot,” Paul Nolette, associate professor at Marquette University and director of the Les Aspin Center for Government, told The Epoch Times on Nov. 27.
Actions are primarily partisan in focus, with both parties challenging national leaders. Nolette said further action is incentivized, as individuals can raise their national profile while simultaneously pushing back on control at the federal level.
States typically use a combination of tactics to address policies they disagree with, including blocking enforcement, forcing agencies to comply with statutes, and creating policies through litigation and agreements with private corporations and industries.
“Whether you win or lose, you oftentimes delay the implementation of a policy for months or years,” Nolette said. “AGs will be trying to delay as much as they can, and appeals take forever.”
The trend accelerated significantly during Trump’s first term in office—with 135 multi-state suits—and has continued through President Joe Biden’s time in the White House—with 129 filed so far, including 66 in 2024, as documented on Nolette’s database.
As indicated by statements from attorneys general, governors, and the incoming administration, both sides will utilize lessons learned during Trump’s first tenure to craft further strategies in the coming four years.
