California continues to protect the rights of illegal immigrants: Newsome signed a new law

California lawmakers continue to empower immigrants who enter the country illegally. California Governor Gavin Newsome has signed laws that allow illegal immigrants to work on government councils and commissions and prohibit arrests for immigration violations in state courthouses. Writes about this Los Angeles Times.

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California’s immigrant asylum decisions are in stark contrast to U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies, who continue to push for a new wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and crack down on asylum seekers.

“While Trump attacks and condemns immigrants, California is working to ensure that every resident — regardless of immigration status — is afforded respect,” Newsom said.

The law, signed by Newsom, also expands college student loan programs in California for so-called “dreamers,” young immigrants who illegally enter the country as children.

But the governor did not accept all the immigration offers that were offered. He vetoed the bill, which would give the Attorney General the power to investigate any death in civilian immigration detention centers. A report by the American Civil Liberties Union recorded 13 deaths in California immigration centers since 2010.

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In a veto statement, Newsom stated that a policy of ending the use of private, commercial illegal places of detention in the state makes this law unnecessary.

“I believe closing these facilities should be a top priority because it is the best way to address this injustice,” Newsom said.

U.S. Attorney General Xavier Becerra released the results of the first government inspection of California immigration detention centers and found that nearly all of the facilities held people in cells for long periods of time — sometimes up to 22 hours a day — without any breaks. Government investigators found that immigrants faced significant language barriers and problems seeking medical and mental health care, and detainees were allowed only minimal contact with friends and family.

“Immigrants are dying here in these civil detention centers, and we have no authority to investigate,” said Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (Los Angeles), sponsor of the bill Newsom vetoed. “Every day it gets worse and worse as immigrants are in the hands of ICE officials.”

Amid growing hostility with the Trump administration and its aggressive plans to deport immigrants, California also passed a new law prohibiting immigration agents from conducting civilian arrests in state courts.

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California Chief Justice Thani J. Cantil-Sacaue, in 2018, said the arrests were "subversive, shortsighted, and counterproductive."

“The governor realized when he took office that about 50 percent of California's population is immigrants or children of immigrants,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. — Pro-immigrant policies are pro-California policies. If immigrants prosper, we all prosper.”

One of Durazo’s most ambitious legislation in 2019 would provide Medi-Cal with all eligible immigrants, even if they entered the country illegally. California already provides state-subsidized health services for immigrant children and youth from low-income families.

Durazo said the governor promised to consider extending Medi-Cal benefits for immigrants 65 and older in 2020. She said that these immigrants should be eligible for state health insurance and other state benefits because they pay state and federal taxes.

“If they're here, they're working, they're participating and they're contributing, I think they have a right to what we have. Why do we treat them differently? … It’s not reasonable for California,” Durazo said.

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Republicans have largely opposed the Democrats' immigration program. But a bipartisan consensus was reached on one bill, which at least indirectly concerns immigrants, regardless of their legal status. Legislation obliges public schools to provide US 2020 census materials. The bill was unanimously passed in the Assembly and Senate and was signed by Newsom.

Census data is used to distribute nearly 900 billion dollars a year of federal funding, school support, health care, food stamps and special education. Census results also determine the number of congressional representatives provided to each state.

The Trump administration has tried to add the citizenship issue to next year’s census, which Democrats say will be a ruse to prevent immigrants from participating in the census because of fears of possible deportation or other government actions.

“Even though the courts eventually struck down the citizenship question, great harm was done in immigrant communities,” said Assemblywoman Eloise Reyes. “We need to be able to explain to immigrants that they need to take part in the census.”

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