Lena Gonzalez: “California must remain steadfast in protecting the rights of our immigrant communities”

As President-elect Donald Trump approaches his inauguration and threatens to carry out a mass deportation of immigrants, California continues to redefine its role and how it will protect a population that is integral to the state.

Trump's promises of mass deportations and the unprecedented threat of deploying the U.S. military to remove undocumented Americans would hurt not only immigrant families but all California families, our economy, and the cultural and social benefits that new Californians bring to our communities.

Nearly half of California's children have at least one immigrant parent, and 27% of the state's population is foreign-born—the highest share of any state and more than double the national average. The consequences of malicious and heartless deportations would create widespread fear and division, with devastating impacts on our social fabric and economy.

“It is terrifying to think about the dire impacts of the proposed callous actions targeting some of our most hardworking Californians,” said Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez.

That is why Gonzalez introduced a bill to create an Immigrant and Refugee Affairs State Agency.

“California must remain steadfast in protecting the rights of our immigrant communities, and creating a state agency dedicated to ensuring they have the resources they need is doing right by them and all Californians. I urge my colleagues in the Legislature to support this critical bill that will equip our state to respond boldly in the face of any hostile actions against our immigrant communities.”

The agency and its Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs would provide a permanent governmental framework focused on streamlining services, creating grant programs, and engaging stakeholders to enhance support for immigrant and refugee families in California.

Establishing a state agency to provide greater access to critical resources, such as legal representation and policy updates, would be instrumental in combating misinformation and fear, which have previously hurt our communities when anti-immigrant policies were implemented.

This agency would enable a more efficient, unified process for monitoring ongoing immigration issues in close collaboration with stakeholders, offering an invaluable tool to address the needs of California families as emerging challenges unfold.

“An Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Agency will help California respond to the incoming administration’s cruel mass deportation plans and other anti-immigrant policies,” said Angelica Salas, Executive Director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). “Immigrants contribute significantly to our state and are being unfairly targeted by dangerous and prejudiced rhetoric. We applaud Senator Gonzalez for standing with California’s immigrant families and working to improve our state’s resources for our immigrant and refugee neighbors during this critical moment for human rights.”