City of L. A. v. Sessions
City of L. A. v. Sessions
Opinion of the Court
*1093Before the Court is Plaintiff's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment as to Counts Four, Five, and Six of Plaintiff's Complaint, filed on November 21, 2017, and Defendants' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment as to Counts Four, Five, and Six of Plaintiff's Complaint, filed on January 12, 2018. (Dkts. 49, 53). Having considered briefing by the parties, briefing by amici curiae, and oral argument of counsel, this Court issues the following order.
Congress created a grant program to support local governments in hiring officers for deployment in community-oriented policing ("COPS"). The Department of Justice ("DOJ"), headed by Defendant Jefferson B. Sessions III ("Attorney General"), administers this grant program through the "COPS Office." The COPS Office administers the COPS Hiring Program ("CHP") grant, which "provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire career law enforcement officers in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts."
Each fiscal year, the COPS Office issues applications for the CHP grant and selects local governments to receive funding. Because funds are limited, the COPS Office created this scoring system to best allocate the funds: Community Policing (50% of score), Crime (30% of score), and Fiscal Health (20% of score). The COPS Office also awards "additional consideration" bonus points but does not disclose their relative weight.
In the fiscal year ("FY") 2017 application cycle for CHP grants, the COPS Office added a "focus area" called "Illegal Immigration." The COPS Office explained that additional consideration may be given to applicants that partner with federal law enforcement to address illegal immigration. On September 12, 2017, the COPS Office sent an e-mail with an attached "Certification of Illegal Immigration Cooperation" form that each applicant could sign to qualify for the additional consideration points. The form required applicants to certify implementation of "rules, regulations, policies, and/or practices" granting federal immigration authorities (1) access to detention facilities to ask aliens and suspected aliens about their immigration status and (2) at least 48 hours' notice of their expected release from custody ("Challenged Considerations").
Los Angeles has applied for a CHP grant in 39% of all cycles since inception. It received CHP grants in 2012 and 2016, the last two times it applied. It also applied for a FY 2017 grant.
On September 29, 2017, Los Angeles filed its Complaint and an application seeking to preliminarily enjoin Defendants from imposing the Challenged Considerations. On October 12, 2017, Defendants declared they had already selected grant awardees and Los Angeles was not among them. They also declared that Los Angeles would not have received a grant even if it *1094had qualified for the additional bonus points. On October 16, 2017, Los Angeles withdrew its preliminary injunction application citing Defendants' declaration and explaining that it could not secure timely relief in advance of the CHP award decisions. Los Angeles now seeks to enjoin Defendants from imposing the Challenged Considerations in future grant cycles. To that end, both Los Angeles and Defendants move for summary judgment on Counts 4, 5, and 6 of the Complaint.
Summary judgment is appropriate where there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a) ; Celotex Corp. v. Catrett ,
Justiciability
Article III of the Constitution allows federal courts to adjudicate only live cases and controversies. Under this requirement, a plaintiff must have "standing" to sue for relief. The elements of standing are (1) injury in fact, (2) causation, and (3) redressability. Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife ,
A grant competitor may suffer "competitive injury" for purposes of standing. "[W]hen challenged agency conduct allegedly renders a [competitor] unable to fairly compete for some benefit, that [competitor] has suffered a sufficient 'injury in fact' and has standing." Preston v. Heckler ,
Los Angeles has standing to bring suit based on competitive injury. Los Angeles filed its Complaint promptly upon notification that Defendants would award bonus points based on compliance with the Challenged Considerations and before funds were distributed. As Los Angeles did not certify compliance with these conditions, it could not fairly compete with those competitors that did. Therefore, Los Angeles suffered ongoing competitive injury at the time it filed suit and properly sought to enjoin Defendants from creating an uneven playing field. Defendants do not challenge application of the remaining standing elements.
Defendants instead argue the case is now moot because the COPS Office has since awarded all FY 2017 grants. "Mootness [is] the doctrine of standing set in a time frame: The requisite personal interest that must exist at the commencement of the litigation (standing) must continue throughout its existence (mootness)." Sanford v. MemberWorks, Inc. ,
This case is not moot because Los Angeles' harm is capable of repetition in a manner that evades judicial review. First, Los Angeles could not fully litigate this case before completion of the FY 2017 grant process. Exactly one month passed between the date Defendants announced imposition of the Challenged Considerations and selected successful applicants. Therefore, Los Angeles had no more than one month to meaningfully challenge the selection process. The Ninth Circuit has explained that even "actions lasting only one or two years evade review." Karuk Tribe of Cal. v. U.S. Forest Serv. ,
Second, there is at least a "reasonable expectation" that Los Angeles will suffer similar injury in FY 2018. The Attorney General has touted immigration enforcement as a cornerstone of the DOJ's agenda, meaning competitors can reasonably expect similar conditions to apply in FY 2018.
Count 4
Los Angeles alleges in Count 4 that imposition of the Challenged Considerations is ultra vires.
An agency "has no power to act...unless and until Congress confers power upon it." La. Pub. Serv. Comm'n v. FCC ,
*1096City of Arlington v. FCC ,
"If Congress intends to alter the usual constitutional balance between the States and the Federal Government, it must make its intention to do so unmistakably clear in the language of the statute." Gregory v. Ashcroft ,
The Challenged Considerations upset the constitutional balance between state and federal power by requiring state and local law enforcement to partner with federal authorities. These conditions infringe upon the state police power. The Challenged Considerations also upset the constitutional balance by requiring state and local participation in a historically federal function-immigration enforcement. See, e.g. , Arizona v. United States ,
CHP grants are awarded under the COPS statute, which authorizes the Attorney General to issue grants to state and local governments to rehire law enforcement officers for deployment in community policing.
Defendants argue that subsection (c) does not limit the universe of applications the Attorney General may preferentially *1097consider. According to Defendants, because "the Attorney General may give preferential treatment" in the three circumstances listed in subsection (c), the Attorney General may also develop additional factors to consider.
In the Court's view, subsection (c) does not plainly or even arguably authorize the Attorney General to give preferential treatment to competitors based on compliance with the Challenged Considerations. Defendants' reading effectively renders subsection (c) superfluous. See Chubb Custom Ins. Co. v. Space Sys./Loral, Inc. ,
This conclusion does not mean, as Defendants contend, that the Attorney General is relegated to either developing an arbitrary method of ranking applicants or choosing the winning applicants by random lottery. The Attorney General may select applicants with programs that best embody the statutory purpose of the CHP grant. See
"Community policing begins with a commitment to building trust and mutual respect between police and communities," which is "critical to public safety."
There is no dispute between the parties that community policing ultimately aims to prevent crime and keep the public safe. But all policing is fundamentally aimed at these end goals. Community policing is distinct from other types of policing because *1098of the means used to achieve these end goals, namely partnerships between police and communities . Pub. L. No. 103-322, Title I, § 10003(a),
Further, Defendants' broad interpretation of their authority carries extraordinary implications. If the Attorney General can favor applicants based on any factors relevant to public safety, he enjoys nearly limitless discretion to select grant awardees in ways not even tangentially related to community policing. For example, he may favor CHP applicants that agree to implement or abolish capital punishment in the name of public safety. In the absence of clear statutory guidance, this Court cannot conclude that Congress intended to stretch Defendants' authority so broadly. See Robbins v. Reagan ,
Accordingly, Defendants' imposition of the Challenged Considerations is ultra vires as a matter of law. The Court does not reach Los Angeles' "direction, supervision, or control" argument. See Riley ,
Los Angeles is entitled to summary judgment on Count 4.
Count 5
Los Angeles alleges in Count 5 that the Challenged Considerations violate the Spending Clause.
Under the Spending Clause, "if Congress desires to condition the [participant's] receipt of federal funds, it must do so unambiguously, enabling the [participant] to exercise [its] choice knowingly, cognizant of the consequences of [its] participation." Dole ,
As a preliminary matter, the Court rejects Defendants' argument that the Challenged Considerations are not "conditions" because compliance is not required to receive a CHP grant award. First, Defendants offer no supporting precedent. Second, compliance with these considerations is required in order for applicants to compete on a level playing field. Not coincidentally, 80% of successful applicants complied with the Challenged Considerations.
Next, the Challenged Considerations violate the Spending Clause because, as discussed above, Congress did not unambiguously condition receipt of a CHP grant on local compliance with federal authorities. Defendants' argument that the COPS Office unambiguously instructed applicants how to qualify for bonus points misses the point. Dole counsels that Congress must be clear in its directives.
Although the analysis may conclude here, the Court briefly notes that the Challenged Considerations are not "reasonably related" to the articulated goal of the COPS program. As explained above, community policing is about developing partnerships between local authorities and the community. Whether local police cooperation with federal authorities allows for more effective enforcement is not the relevant inquiry. In short, there is no relationship between local police partnerships with federal authorities and community policing. Therefore, the Challenged Considerations violate the Spending Clause as a matter of law.
Accordingly, Los Angeles is entitled to summary judgment on Count 5.
Count 6
Los Angeles alleges in Count 6 that the Challenged Considerations are arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act ("APA").
Under the APA, agency actions must be set aside if they are "arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law."
The Challenged Considerations are arbitrary and capricious as a matter of law. Only after CHP grant applications were due, Defendants explained that "[c]ities and states that cooperate with federal law enforcement make all of us safer by helping remove dangerous criminals from our communities," including by ending "violent crime stemming from illegal immigration."
*1100Defendants' explanation that "[n]othing in the statutes governing CHP suggests DOJ should not consider the extent to which a jurisdiction cooperates in the enforcement of immigration law" is not an articulated justification for imposing the Challenged Considerations. Defendants must affirmatively explain the basis for their decision. See Pac. Coast Fed'n of Fishermen's Ass'ns v. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation ,
Finally, as concluded above, Defendants do not have authority to impose the Challenged Considerations. See Michigan v. EPA , --- U.S. ----,
Accordingly, the Challenged Considerations are arbitrary and capricious as a matter of law, and Los Angeles is entitled to summary judgment on Count 6.
Permanent injunction
Los Angeles seeks to prospectively enjoin Defendants from imposing the Challenged Considerations. To obtain a permanent injunction, the moving party must show (1) irreparable injury, (2) that monetary damages are inadequate, (3) that the balance of hardships weighs in its favor, and (4) that an injunction serves the public. Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms ,
First, Los Angeles will suffer irreparable competitive harm if Defendants are not enjoined from imposing the Challenged Considerations in future cycles. Int'l Franchise Ass'n, Inc. v. City of Seattle ,
The parties dispute the proper scope of the injunction. Los Angeles requests that the injunction apply to all CHP competitors nationwide. Defendants argue that a nationwide injunction exceeds the scope of relief necessary to make Los Angeles whole.
A district court may issue a nationwide injunction only where "necessary to provide complete relief to the plaintiff[ ]." See Califano v. Yamasaki ,
The Ninth Circuit has also held that where an agency violates the APA, the district court is compelled to issue a nationwide injunction. Earth Island Inst. v. Ruthenbeck ,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED. (Dkt. 49).
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED. (Dkt. 53).
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Defendants are permanently enjoined from imposing the Challenged Considerations in future CHP grant cycles.
See, e.g. , DOJ, Off. of Public Affairs, Attorney General Jeff Sessions Delivers Remarks on Sanctuary Jurisdictions , https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-jeffsessions-delivers-remarks-sanctuary-jurisdictions; DOJ, Off. of Public Affairs, Attorney General Sessions Announces $98 Million To Hire Community Policing Officers , https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-sessions-announces-98-million-hirecommunity-policing-officers. Defendants do not object to admission of either piece of evidence, and both are publicly-available pages, the accuracy of which "cannot reasonably be questioned." Fed. R. Evid. 201(b)(2).
In a footnote, Defendants argue this matter is incapable of repetition because the FY 2017 cycle cannot be repeated. Defendants' attempt to break each fiscal cycle into distinct programs would render any challenge impossible. Each year, grant competitors may only have one month to challenge that cycle's scoring factors, only to be told upon withdrawal of the challenge that the following cycle cannot be repeated.
This section authorizes the Attorney General to give preferential consideration for the following: (1) an application "for hiring and rehiring additional career law enforcement officers that involves a non-Federal contribution exceeding the 25 percent minimum" contribution; (2) the applicant is in a state with laws that treat minors engaged in commercial sex as victims; or (3) the applicant is in a state with laws allowing the vacatur of arrests or convictions for non-violent crimes committed by human trafficking victims directly related to their human trafficking.
COPS Office, "About," https://cops.usdoj.gov/about. Defendants do not object to Los Angeles' request for judicial notice of this publicly-available page, the accuracy of which "cannot reasonably be questioned." Fed. R. Evid. 201(b)(2).
H.R. Rep. No. 103-324 at 8-9 (1993); see Community Policing Unit , http://www.lapdonline.org/support_lapd/content_basic_view/731. The accuracy of this publicly-available page "cannot reasonably be questioned." Fed. R. Evid. 201(b)(2).
See supra note 1
DOJ, Off. of Public Affairs, Department of Justice Announces Priority Consideration Criteria for COPS Office Grants , https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-announces-priority-consideration-criteria-cops-officegrants. Defendants do not object to Los Angeles' request for judicial notice of this publicly-available page, the accuracy of which "cannot reasonably be questioned." Fed.R. Evid. 201(b)(2).
Defendants propose alternatives, including that this Court automatically credit Los Angeles with additional consideration points as though it complied with the Challenged Considerations. The Court declines to issue such a creative proposal with potential unforeseen consequences. Furthermore, there is "no reason to think that the legal issues present in this case are restricted to [Los Angeles] or that the statutory authority given to the Attorney General would differ in another jurisdiction." See Chicago ,
Defendants submit an amicus brief from a different case where Los Angeles argues against a nationwide injunction. This Court cannot determine its relevance other than to paint Los Angeles as a walking contradiction. Regardless, Los Angeles argued there that a nationwide injunction could cost it over $1.5 billion and directly impose on local police. The injunction here only incidentally impacts competitors to the extent they cannot receive bonus points for compliance with the Challenged Considerations. Nothing in this injunction prevents competitors from voluntary cooperation with federal enforcement or otherwise directly imposes on them.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CITY OF LOS ANGELES v. Jefferson B. SESSIONS III
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published