Gavin Newsom pushes for new ties with Mexico as Trump fights to build wall

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - As President Donald Trump pushes Mexico further away, declaring a national emergency to force the construction of a wall along the border, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers have made clear they want to draw the country closer.

With a commitment to reopen a trade office in Mexico City, the governor plans to revitalize a state commission that would allow California officials to work on issues with their counterparts in Mexican government. And over the course of his first term, Newsom and state Democrats are expected to refocus attention on what they consider the real issues at the heart of the U.S.-Mexico relationship: tackling cross-border pollution, promoting cultural and educational exchanges, and defending the human rights of all immigrants.

In a state where Latino elected officials have helped launch a full-scale resistance to the Trump administration, top California leaders say they see a powerful ally in the state's new chief executive. They believe Newsom's more forceful stance on immigration and diplomatic approach to Mexico could help reinvigorate old