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, asserting he secured these funds. However, the grant was awarded to the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office by the Crankstart Foundation after an application submitted months earlier. Lurie merely sponsored the legislation required to accept the funds, a common and routine action among city officials. Critics, including former supervisors, described Lurie's actions as insufficient, emphasizing that merely accepting a grant does not equate to robust support for immigrant services.

The Crankstart Foundation, known for its discreet giving, expressed confusion over the mayor's press release, indicating they were not informed of its release. Additionally, Lurie declined to renew a previous one-time funding allocation of $878,000 for immigrant legal defense, which advocates called urgent. Lariza Dugan-Cuadra of Carecen highlighted the critical need for funding amidst increasing federal enforcement impacts. This situation raises concerns about the mayor's commitment to supporting the immigrant community during fiscal challenges.