California Senate passes bill to protect immigrant service workers

The California Senate has passed Assembly Bill 2624, a measure designed to protect workers and volunteers at immigrant support services from having their personal identification details made public. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta, aims to mitigate risks of doxxing, death threats, and harassment directed at staff in the current political climate. If passed by the Assembly and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the law would expand protections similar to the state’s existing ‘Safe At Home’ program.

The legislation has faced significant criticism from opponents. Some lawmakers and Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio argue the bill could infringe upon First Amendment rights and potentially hinder investigative journalism. Critics have dubbed the measure the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act,’ alleging it could be used to silence citizen journalists who attempt to expose fraud or misconduct within taxpayer-funded immigration service providers by threatening them with financial penalties or restricting the use of video evidence.