Cal. Gov. Signs Into Law 21 Bills Regarding Immigration Enforcement

Today, California's Governor Newsom signed into law 21 different bills regarding immigration enforcement--what his office calls a "package of legislation to protect California communities and strengthen civil rights and public safety by addressing immigration detention, enforcement transparency, civil rights, state facilities, public records, family services and oversight of civil detention facilities in California."

Here are the bits his office emphasizes:

✅ Ban on shock gloves, setting limits on uses of wearable electroshock devices by law enforcement.

✅ Restrictions on uses of flash-bang grenades and explosive breaching charges, including in immigration-enforcement activities.

✅ Prohibits ICE officers who have committed serious misconduct on the job from becoming peace officers or public employees in California.

✅ A new 25% tax on private detention facilities with revenue going toward immigration-related services, closes a loophole that previously allowed some facilities to claim tax-exempt status. 

✅ Expanded health, safety and oversight requirements for civil detention facilities operating in California.

✅ Increasing transparency by expanding public access to records to shed light on what’s happening inside private detention facilities.

✅ Strengthening the role of the Attorney General in immigration-related matters and establishing new requirements for the Attorney General to develop and report on a proposed oversight plan for private civil detention facilities.

✅ Creating more public input on potential facilities through additional planning and zoning requirements and those concerning public-agency approval of detention centers.

✅ Restricting the use of state-owned facilities for immigration-enforcement staging, processing, detention or operations.

✅ Requiring clear identification on rental vehicles used by law enforcement for detention, arrest or transportation to display a temporary decal identifying the agency, with limited exceptions.

✅ Creating stronger accountability by giving individuals the ability to sue federal government officials who have violated their federal constitutional rights. 

✅ Helping immigrants seek help without fear of arrest by protecting people traveling to or from courthouses for lawful activities from civil arrest.

✅ Protecting eligibility for CalWORKs assistance when a child or household member is detained by federal immigration authorities, in specified circumstances.

✅ Strengthening protections for immigrant victims and other people seeking assistance under California law.