Mayor Lurie takes credit for immigrant legal funding he had little to do with

Mayor Daniel Lurie announced on August 5 that he had secured $3. 4 million in funding for immigrant legal defense, but this claim is under scrutiny. The funds were awarded to the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office through a grant from the Crankstart Foundation, not through Lurie’s influence. Critics, including former supervisors David Campos and Bevan Dufty, highlighted that Lurie's role in sponsoring the acceptance of the grant was largely ceremonial. Lurie also declined to renew a previous $878,000 funding allocation for immigrant legal services, which many advocates deemed critical.

Emails from the Crankstart Foundation indicated confusion regarding the mayor's announcement, as they were unaware of the press release. The Board of Supervisors routinely passes legislation to accept such grants, which often involves minimal effort from sponsors. The mayor's office has not provided clarity on any substantial contributions Lurie made beyond the legislative sponsorship. This situation raises concerns about the authenticity of the administration's commitment to supporting immigrant communities amid a budget deficit.