California bill would restrict local police from aiding ICE in some situations

Stephen Hobbs and Kate Wolffe, The Sacramento Bee on Feb 11, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California legislator said he’s trying to ease concerns over deportations with a recently introduced bill that would generally restrict local police and sheriff’s deputies from helping immigration authorities near medical offices, places of worship and day care centers.

Assemblyman José Solache Jr., D-Lynwood, said he is hearing from people in his district who are worried about the Trump administration carrying out aggressive enforcement actions. He’s seeking to send a message to residents that local officials won’t be helping them in those cases.

“We want to make sure that they’re not collaborating and adding to the enforcement that the federal government will be potentially doing,” he said.

It’s not clear how much cooperation and information sharing the measure could effect. California law already largely prevents police departments and sheriff’s offices from using money or staff to help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigate, detain or arrest people. There are exceptions when it involves someone leaving state prison or who has been convicted of a serious or violent felony.

The state bill would generally prohibit California law enforcement agencies from collaborating with or providing information to federal authorities “regarding proposed or currently underway immigration enforcement actions when the actions could be or are taking place within a radius of one mile of a childcare or daycare facility, a religious institution or place of worship, or a hospital or medical office.”

Solache said he was inspired by another measure introduced by Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, in December that would generally prevent the sharing of information about teachers, students and their families for proposed or ongoing enforcement actions.

Assemblyman Bill Essayli, R-Corona, argued that measures like these actually lead to greater worries about where ICE could target.

“Any time there’s a Republican in the office, it’s this extreme fear mongering, irrational narratives,” he said. “That really does a disservice to the community, because it’s scaring the wrong people.”

He introduced a bill in December that would require state and local law enforcement to cooperate with immigration officials, including providing information about a person’s release date from jail if they have been convicted of a felony.

“We want to scare the criminals,” he said. “We’re not trying to scare a kid at school.”

Solache acknowledged that his bill wouldn’t create safe havens from deportations, because ICE doesn’t need the help of local officials to act, but contends it will help alleviate concerns people have, not add to them.

“This is an awesome opportunity to show our humanity.”

______