California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta has joined a growing list of Democratic leaders vow to resist The plans of newly elected President Donald Trump and border czar Tom Homan mass deportations.
Last week, Bonta issued new guidance to courthouses, health care facilities, universities, schools, employment agencies, public libraries and shelters, requiring state agencies to implement policies to oppose Trump’s “draconian” and “inhumane” immigration enforcement actions.
“My office will continue to use the full force of the law and every tool at our disposal to protect the rights of California’s immigrants – and we need staff in these critical locations to do the same,” Bonta said. “We cannot allow Trump’s deportation machine to create a culture of fear and distrust that prevents immigrants from accessing essential public services.”
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California Attorney General Rob Bonta. (Loren Elliott/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
According to AG Office in CaliforniaThe guidelines outline model policies and recommendations that “guide public agencies in complying with California law limiting state and local participation in immigration enforcement activities.”
“In California, we believe that our public resources, such as libraries, hospitals, courthouses and schools, should be available to all without fear of civil immigration enforcement,” Bonta said at a press event announcing the guidelines. “The model policy we provide to public facilities … provides policy recommendations that can mitigate the disruptions of immigration enforcement actions at public facilities.”
The directive refers government authorities to a 2017 law called the “California Values Act” that the AG’s office said: “Prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from assisting with immigration enforcement, with limited exceptions.”
Migrants are met by U.S. Border Patrol near the Jacumba Hot Springs after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego on June 13, 2024. (Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)
Bonta’s guidelines include banning the “unauthorized” collection or disclosure of information that “could indicate the citizenship or immigration status of any individual or family,” as well as instituting a policy of always referring federal law enforcement officials to a designated person who ‘has the authority’. to respond to immigration enforcement related requests.”
“I want to emphasize that the California DOJ is here to protect immigrant safety, freedoms and rights,” Bonta said. “Let me be clear: President-elect Trump’s immigration agenda is draconian and his rhetoric is xenophobic.”
Bonta, who immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines with his parents when he was 2 months old, also said Trump’s deportation plan is “fiscally irresponsible.” He called immigrants “the backbone of our nation.”
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A group of adult and child migrants are smuggled across the Tijuana-San Diego border as they scale the wall to seek asylum into the United States in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, on June 7, 2024. (Carlos Moreno/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Kevin McCarthyformer Speaker of the House of Representatives and California congressman, told Fox News that California politicians like Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom are costing California taxpayers enormous amounts of money by turning the state into a “magnet” for illegal immigrants.
“He’ll give them free health care, I mean he denies certain things to California citizens, but not to those who come illegally. That’s why we attract so many and it costs a lot, we have a huge deficit in California,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said Bonta’s actions are an attempt to “make a name for himself” in Democratic politics, despite concerns about illegal immigration and violent crimes by illegal migrants playing a major role in Trump’s 2024 retake of the White House.
Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a news conference where he signed legislation related to oil and gas well oversight and community protection on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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“These attorneys general need to take a deep breath, listen to what the American public was saying and understand that immigration was one of the main reasons Donald Trump won, and that it wasn’t a Republican issue, (it was) also Republican and Democratic. he said.
He pointed to the election of Nathan Hochman as the district attorney of Los Angeles County, which he said was “elected overwhelmingly because we saw crime rampant.”
“As attorney general, your job is to protect your citizens. Why wouldn’t you want these gang members, I mean, these are ruthless gang members and these used the drugs fentanyl that killed your children, why wouldn’t you? ” You want them out? I think that would be your job without the president doing it,” McCarthy said. “People want something different to happen, especially from this attorney general.”
