Gov. Brown's budget proposal includes an extra $15 million to help Californians facing deportation

The L.A. Times reports:

Gov. Jerry Brown has earmarked an extra $15 million in the state’s budget to expand legal defense services for people battling deportation, a move that could be interpreted as a response to the Trump administration’s broadened immigration enforcement orders.

The one-time cash infusion would boost the state government’s financial help to those in the country illegally to $33 million. Immigrant rights groups and lawyers hailed the increased funding in Brown’s revised state budget, calling it a signal that the state is committed to protecting families from what could happen under President Trump.

But while the total funds are enough to support existing services, policy analysts said lawmakers might need almost double this amount to fund the other new legal initiatives under consideration at the state Capitol.

“We urge the Legislature to deepen its investment in programs,” said Ronald Coleman, government affairs director for the California Immigrant Policy Center. “It is going to be key given that California can be ground zero for the devastation that we would face from Donald Trump’s deportation policies.”

The whacky world of California.