California Governor Signs Bills Shielding Immigrants from Federal Enforcement
LOS ANGELES, CA – September 20, 2025 – Governor newsom signed five bills into law Saturday aimed at bolstering protections for immigrants in California, in what he described as a direct response to increased immigration enforcement under the Trump Administration. The legislation seeks to safeguard vulnerable populations within schools and healthcare facilities, impacting the state’s nearly 11 million foreign-born residents.
The new laws include:
* AB 49: Prohibits immigration enforcement officers from entering school sites without a judicial warrant.
* SB 81: Prohibits immigration enforcement officers from entering non-public patient areas of health or care facilities without a warrant.
* SB 98: Requires schools and higher education institutions to notify communities when federal immigration enforcement is on campus and bans officers from entering certain areas without a warrant.
* SB 627: Bans federal and local law enforcement officers from wearing masks while performing their duties, with some exceptions.
* SB 805: Requires law enforcement officers to identify themselves and provide contact information upon request while on duty.
“I am very proud of California pushing back on the authoritarianism of this administration,” Governor Newsom stated during the bill signing ceremony.
concerns over increased enforcement were evident at a weekly food giveaway at chollas View United Methodist Church in San Diego, where approximately 250 peopel line up each Saturday.The church serves a large haitian, Asian, and Mexican immigrant population.
“Usually we see almost 250 people line up here looking for food. We think (the large group) is going to attract ICE and (agents) will come and harass people, but we haven’t had that yet,” said Mordi Iheme, a church trustee who co-organizes the event with his wife. Iheme and his wife immigrated from Nigeria.
Even legal citizens expressed anxieties. One man, a U.S.-born Puerto Rican from Chicago with a valid passport, shared his experiences with NBC 7, requesting anonymity due to ongoing threats from federal immigration agents. “I’ve seen people hassled by these agents called ICE. They have even hassled my own kind. I’ve got a passport and everything,” he said.
Adriana Vasquez, a mother of three, was among those seeking assistance at the Chollas View church on Saturday, receiving diapers and food.
