Bill Will Limit State Cooperation with Federal Immigration Authorities
LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, MALDEF President and General Counsel, Thomas A. Saenz, released the following statement in response to California Governor Jerry Brown's signing of the TRUST Act. The bill also known as AB4, will limit state cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
“Come January 1, California will be a stronger and safer state for everyone as a result of the legislation that Governor Jerry Brown signed today. The overdue TRUST Act will ensure that hundreds of thousands of immigrants who contribute, on an ongoing basis, to our economy and to our communities up and down the state, will no longer risk being swept into the immigration removal system as the result of an unfair or unconstitutional arrest, or as the result of a minor infraction or misdemeanor. This legislation, Assembly Bill 4 (Ammiano) results from the federal government's inability to ensure that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detainers are only issued when consistent with articulated enforcement priorities. The TRUST Act means that, at least in California, immigration removals will focus on serious criminals. In this way, the Act is a first step toward a nationwide immigration policy that is constitutional and fair while serving the needs of our economy. We hope that Governor Brown's signature on AB 4 foreshadows the President's signature on immigration reform in 2013.”