Protect California Rights Act (SB 1105)

Our freedoms and rights as Californians have never felt more at risk. In addition to sending federal troops onto our streets, Trump is trying to commandeer state and local police to do his bidding through federal task forces, to force them to support racially discriminatory immigration enforcement activities, to investigate organizations and individuals demonstrating against these actions, and to target Americans who are documenting ICE’s abusive actions. These actions violate our laws and jeopardize our rights.

Californians deserve to know their state and local officials have their backs and won’t bend the knee to the Trump administration and its attacks on our communities. DHS agents have been terrorizing communities through “roving patrols” that illegally stop, kidnap, and disappear someone based on their race. In a recent case, ICE officers in Orange County shot “less-lethal” projectiles, without warning, into a crowd protesting the murder of Renee Nicole Good. At least two Californians were shot in the head and left permanently blind.

Holding our government accountable is not a crime, but we’ve seen local police stop and question people for exercising their right to record such abuses by DHS agents in their communities. Others have watched their community’s police officers setting up a perimeter and stand by as ICE violently arrested and attacked community members just trying to hold ICE accountable.

All of these actions violate California’s existing laws and it’s time to send a clear message that our state’s resources and personnel will not be used to silence Californians.

The Protect California Rights Act will protect the safety and rights of Californians by:

• Prohibiting local and state law enforcement from assisting federal agents in operations that involve racial or identity profiling, criminalization of speech, or use of unauthorized weapons of war against Californians.
• Prohibiting federal law enforcement from acting beyond their federal jurisdiction to stop and arrest Californians, except during times of emergency and with the Governor’s approval.

SB 1105 protects our local law enforcement from being forced to serve as foot soldiers for the federal government and ensures our laws are being upheld. The bill protects our limited resources, so they are used to serve our state’s values and priorities, not to silence Californians and fuel a deportation force.

Principal Bill Author:

Senator Perez

Bill Co-Authors:

Senator Gonzalez, Senator Wiener, Assemblymember Gipson

Bill Co-Sponsors:

• ACLU California Action
• The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)

Resources:

• FoxLA Compilation of CHP and Local Police aiding ICE: Activists claim local police are aiding federal immigration agents | FOX 11 Los Angeles  
• Brennan Center: Federalism as a Check on Abuses by Federal Law Enforcement
• ACLU: How Governors and Mayors Can Protect Nonprofits from Trump’s NSPM-7
• NYCLU: Trump Is Using Task Forces to Criminalize Activists and Non-Profits. Why Is NY Funding Them?