No. Ventura will not lose federal funding for passing a non-compliance policy like CARE. This concern is rooted more in fear than in law—and we are not alone. Congressman Salud Carbajal has publicly supported the CARE policy and made it clear that he supports Ventura’s leadership in protecting vulnerable communities.
His statement sends a powerful message: if Ventura faces pressure or threats for doing the right thing, he will fight for us in Congress, where funding decisions are made and defended. When our city steps up to lead, we will have support at the federal level.
Congressman Carbajal’s Statement of Support
Congressman Carbajal’s support isn’t about telling city officials what to do—it’s about showing that federal leadership is paying attention, and that he will stand with us in the fight to protect transgender people, immigrants, and those seeking reproductive care.
As your congressman representing you and all residents of the 24 th California Congressional district, I stand behind and support Councilmember Liz Campos’ Community Autonomy, Rights, and Equality, or CARE, Policy.
I have always supported and defended the rights of all Americans, regardless of religion, political party, gender identity or any other identifying factor. I stand with and support the protection of reproductive rights, immigrant residents, and gender-diverse individuals, and will do what I can to protect and defend their rights as American citizens.
I believe it is important as a national representative to partner with local municipalities and leaders to build and strengthen protections for everyone, primarily those groups currently under attack.
I hope that you, the Ventura City Council, will join me in these beliefs and adopt this policy to protect the vulnerable members of our community and make them feel safe in these difficult times.
Thank you for listening and for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Representative Salud Carbajal
His statement reflects what we all know to be true: local action matters—and federal allies can help defend it.
Why This Won’t Jeopardize Federal Funding
Let’s break it down clearly:
1. Only Congress Controls the Purse Strings
The president cannot unilaterally revoke federal funding from a city like Ventura just because it passes a non-cooperation policy. According to the U.S. Constitution, Congress alone controls federal appropriations.
Even under Trump’s first term, when many cities adopted “sanctuary” policies around immigration, Congress did not pass laws cutting funding to them—and multiple federal courts blocked attempts by the Trump administration to penalize those cities.
2. CARE Is Legal
The CARE policy is not about defying lawful federal action—it’s about refusing to participate in identity-based targeting that many legal experts believe would itself be unconstitutional. It is a non-compliance policy, not obstruction or defiance of court orders. This falls squarely within Tenth Amendment rights, which protect local control over how resources are used.
3. Cities Around the U.S. Have Done This for Years
Dozens of cities across the United States—bigger and smaller than Ventura—have passed local non-cooperation policies on immigration, policing, surveillance, and more. They have not lost funding.
4. Congressman Carbajal Will Fight for Us
While Congressman Carbajal isn’t here to tell the City Council how to vote, his public support is a clear message: if Ventura stands up to defend its residents, he will stand behind us in Washington.
Federal funding is decided through:
- Appropriations bills
- Congressional budget negotiations
- Grant formulas—not political retribution
And he is part of that process.
5. Retreating Out of Fear Sends the Wrong Message
Let’s be honest: if a local city government can be scared out of protecting its own residents just because of the possibility of backlash, what message does that send to those being targeted?
This isn’t the time for fear-based policymaking. It’s the time to show leadership—and CARE is a cautious, legal, measured way to do just that.
Bottom Line
Ventura will not lose federal funding over the CARE policy. This isn’t about breaking laws—it’s about refusing to cooperate with injustice. If we can’t stand up for what’s right because we’re afraid of a theoretical punishment that has never happened to other cities, then we’ve already given up power we still hold.
Congressman Carbajal has our back. It’s time Ventura shows that it has ours.