The governor's office said increased reports of federal immigration agents in some communities across California prompted Gov. to urge residents to stay calm, stay safe, know their rights and make a plan to protect their families.
"No President is above the Constitution. No one in this country is without rights. California will stand up for our communities and hold federal agents accountable. Know your rights and exercise them safely," Newsom said in the release.
The release lists practical steps families should take before an enforcement action: identify emergency contacts and care plans for children or dependents; keep important documents and phone numbers in a safe place; remember and share an immigration "A" number with family; and, if concerned about arrest, consult an immigration attorney and have a signed G-28 form.
The release also gives on-the-ground guidance: do not run and keep a safe distance if you witness federal enforcement activity; people have First Amendment rights to observe and document where permitted by law; do not threaten, assault, obstruct or interfere with federal agents; and do not sign documents you do not understand or have not reviewed with a lawyer.
The governor's office said people have the right to remain silent and may say "I choose to remain silent" and ask for a lawyer; they have the right to refuse consent to a search; and if agents come to a home, residents generally do not have to open the door, should ask agents to show a warrant, and should know that a judicial warrant signed by a judge differs from an administrative immigration warrant.
California law limits state and local participation in federal immigration enforcement while preserving specified cooperation to pursue violent criminals, the release said. The state has invested in immigration legal services and community supports and has strengthened protections for parents, schools, public hospitals, workers and student and medical records.
The release directs people who believe they have witnessed potentially unlawful conduct by a federal agent to report it through the attorney general's online portal at oag.ca.gov/reportmisconduct; it also says to call 911 if a crime is occurring or someone is in immediate danger.
For more resources, the release points readers to ca.gov/immigration. The governor's office said Newsom recently signed a package of laws to address immigration detention, enforcement transparency, civil rights, state facilities, public records, family services and oversight of civil detention facilities in California.
State
Gavin Newsom
Governor · Democrat
Named 4 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
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