Particle.news
Download on the App Store

California Democrats Unveil Bills Targeting ICE Links, Including Ban on Agents Becoming Police or Teachers

AB 1627 labels ICE service after Jan. 20, 2025 as grounds for disqualification from police or education posts statewide.

Overview

  • AB 1627, introduced by Assemblymember Anamarie Ávila Farias, would bar current ICE personnel from jobs as California peace officers or in public education, including K–12, UC and CSU roles.
  • The bill text states that participating in ICE operations on or after Jan. 20, 2025 demonstrates “immorality,” which it cites as disqualifying for public-facing positions.
  • The measure has been formally introduced and is slated for a committee hearing as soon as Feb. 26, with further approval needed from both legislative chambers and the governor.
  • Companion proposals include canceling state tax breaks for companies contracting with DHS (Alex Lee), taxing private detention center profits (Matt Haney), restricting car rentals to immigration-enforcement officers, requiring hotel contract transparency, directing the state attorney general to probe federal officer-involved shootings, limiting ICE presence at voting sites, and barring California peace officers from serving with DHS (Isaac Bryan).
  • Sponsors tied the push to the Minneapolis federal shooting that killed Alex Pretti, while critics point to statewide police staffing shortages documented since 2020.