Illegal Border Crossings Today:

California “Sanctuary State” Bill (SB 54) Summary and History

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California Senate Bill 54 effectively makes California a “sanctuary state” by legalizing and standardizing statewide non-cooperation policies between California law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities.

Download a PDF of this document here.

BILL SUMMARY

  • Prohibits state and local law enforcement from holding illegal aliens on the basis of federal
  • immigration detainers, or transferring them into federal custody, unless they’ve been convicted in
  • the last 15 years for one of a list of 31 crimes, or are a registered sex offender: if not, they may only
  • be held with a warrant from a federal judgev
  • Prohibits state and local law enforcement from asking anyone about their immigration status
  • Prohibits state and local law enforcement from sharing any information with federal immigration
  • authorities that is not available to the general public
  • Prohibits state and local law enforcement from using any of their money or personnel to
  • “investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest persons for immigration enforcement purposes”
  • Prohibits state and local law enforcement from allowing federal immigration authorities to use
  • space in their facilities
  • Limits how and when state and local law enforcement can contract with federal immigration
  • authorities
  • Grants discretion to state and local law enforcement to cooperate even less with federal
  • immigration authorities than the bill authorizes them to, but not more
  • Is near-universally recognized and described by both its supporters and opponents as a sanctuary
  • state bill: protects illegal aliens at the expense of citizens, will increase illegal immigration to
  • California, and sends the message that illegal aliens are welcome everywhere in the state

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

  • 12/5/16 introduced by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon
  • 4/3/17 passed by the Senate
  • 9/15/17 passed by the Assembly
  • 10/5/17 signed by Governor Brown

Learn more about why the sanctuary policies SB 54 adopts are harmful and dangerous.