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

Mayor Daniel Lurie announced $3. 4 million in funding for immigrant legal defense, but he had minimal involvement in securing the grant. The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office applied for the funds from the Crankstart Foundation, which awarded the grant months prior to Lurie’s announcement. His office merely sponsored the routine legislation needed to accept the grant, a common procedure that occurred 78 times in the last year. Critics, including former supervisors, argue that Lurie’s actions are insufficient to address the pressing needs of immigrant defense services.

Lurie has also effectively reduced funding for immigrant legal defense by declining to renew a previous $878,000 grant from former Mayor London Breed. This decision came despite urgent appeals from immigrant defense groups highlighting the impact of federal enforcement on local communities. The Crankstart Foundation expressed confusion over Lurie’s claims, indicating that they were unaware of the press release. Lurie’s spokesman maintained that sponsoring the legislation was a significant step, though many see it as a mere formality.