On June 15, 1998, WLF filed a brief in the California Court of Appeal, asking the court to uphold welfare reform regulations issued by the State of California. WLF argued in its brief that the California regulations are an appropriate response to the federal welfare reform law adopted by Congress in 1996. The federal law prohibits states from providing welfare benefits (except for emergency medical aid) to illegal aliens. A California trial court enjoined enforcement of the regulations California had issued in order to implement the federal law, on the ground that only the federal government is permitted to issue implementing regulations but has not yet done so. WLF’s brief argues that Congress made its reform law effective immediately and thus could not have intended to require states to wait the several years it would take to adopt federal regulations before seeking to enforce the law.