Newsom Approves $50 Million to Help Illegal Immigrants, Boost California’s Legal Defense

The bill specifically allocates $10 million to ‘provide immigration-related services, including removal defense.’

California Gov. Gavin Newsom attends a press conference in Los Angeles on Sep. 25, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills on Feb. 7 that would set aside a combined $50 million to protect illegal immigrants and defend the state from potential legal actions by the Trump administration.

One of the bills allocates $25 million to nonprofit organizations that offer immigration services to people “at risk of detention, deportation, eviction, wage theft, intimate partner violence, and other actions that put their safety at risk” because of federal actions.

The bill specifically allocates $10 million to “provide immigration-related services, including removal defense.”

In his signing statement, Newsom said the bill will help protect the civil rights of California’s “most vulnerable residents,” including people with disabilities, homeless people, victims of human trafficking and wage theft, and illegal immigrants.

The governor said the allocated funding would not be used to protect illegal immigrants convicted of serious or violent felonies. Newsom also called on state lawmakers to pass subsequent legislation if further clarification is necessary.

The second bill sets aside $25 million for the state Department of Justice to push back against federal policies “that adversely impact the state, its taxpayers, and residents” through litigation.

The bills were passed by state lawmakers on Feb. 3. California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-District 29) has raised concerns over President Donald Trump’s executive actions targeting various federal agencies and the administration’s recent funding freeze—which he said has affected critical resources for the community.

“Right now, Californians are being threatened by an out-of-control administration in Washington that doesn’t care about the Constitution and thinks there are no limits to its power,” Rivas told the assembly on Feb. 3. “We must ensure that our residents receive the federal services and benefits that they have contributed to and that they deserve.”

California joined a coalition of attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia in filing an emergency motion on Feb. 7 to ask a federal judge to enforce a restraining order blocking the Trump administration’s freeze on federal financial assistance.

The Office of Management and Budget issued a memo on Jan. 27 directing federal agencies to suspend the distribution of grants, loans, and other financial assistance while the programs were being reviewed to ensure they aligned with the president’s policy priorities.

California has also moved to protect immigrants amid the Trump administration’s recent crackdown on illegal immigration. Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to carry out enforcement actions in various major U.S. cities, resulting in the arrest of 956 people within a day on Jan. 27.

Newsom’s Meeting With Trump

Newsom signed the two bills just a day after returning from Washington, where he met with Trump and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to secure federal disaster aid.

His office described the meeting with the president as “very productive,” with Newsom emphasizing the critical need for disaster aid for people affected by the wildfires that hit parts of California last month.

“We’re working across the aisle, as we always have, to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need,” Newsom said in a statement on Feb. 5. “Thank you President Trump for coming to our communities to see this first hand, and meeting with me today to continue our joint efforts to support people impacted.”

The governor expressed his appreciation for the Trump administration’s early collaboration and specifically thanked Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for his agency’s swift action, including the deployment of 1,000 people to aid with debris removal.

Newsom signed a $2.5 billion package for fire relief into law last month to help fund the state’s disaster response, including evacuations, sheltering survivors, and removing household hazardous waste. His administration has said it expects the federal government to reimburse the state.

Travis Gillmore and The Associated Press contributed to this report.