This week on Tuesday (21st), a proposal aimed at terminating protections for illegal immigrant criminals did not pass in the California State Assembly. The proposal was voted down as the deadline for both the State Senate and Assembly to pass their respective bills was on Friday (24th) of this year, signaling its rejection.
The proposal AB2641 was introduced by Republican State Assemblyman Bill Essayli from the 63rd District, titled “Law Enforcement: Cooperation with Immigration Authorities”. Thirty-six Democratic Assembly members voted against it, while 14 Republican members supported it. Twenty-three Democratic members abstained, and the rest were absent.
Regarding illegal immigrant criminals, the proposal required law enforcement officers to: 1) provide information on individuals’ release dates or respond to requests from immigration authorities regarding upcoming release dates; 2) transfer individuals to immigration authorities based on transfer requests; 3) detain individuals based on detention requests; and 3) register individuals who commit sexual abuse or crimes against minors as sex offenders in cooperation with immigration authorities.
Under current California law, law enforcement officers have limited discretion in cooperating with immigration authorities and often cannot provide information on individuals’ release dates or transfer them to immigration authorities.
On the day of the vote, Essayli told a reporter of The Epoch Times that earlier this year, the proposal did not receive a hearing in the Public Safety Committee, which was disappointing. Members refused to hold a hearing, prompting him to try to hold a hearing in the Assembly.
“Why do California Democratic lawmakers want to protect sex offenders?” Essayli questioned. “When it comes to public safety issues, they seem extremely disconnected, and today’s vote once again proves that.”
“I suspect they do not want to admit that their sanctuary state policies are failing. Criminals are running rampant in California,” Essayli, a former local prosecutor in Riverside County and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, said, pointing out several cases of illegal immigrant child rape in Los Angeles County that were not handed over to immigration officials.
Essayli also mentioned that when he was speaking in the Assembly, he was cut off before he finished speaking, with temp Speaker Jim Wood muting him and saying, “You can make a motion, but you can’t talk about it – motions are not debatable.”
On the same day, State Assembly District 4 candidate Darren Ellis said on social media, “Our children and families have the right to safety at home, school, and public places.” Several Democratic lawmakers who voted against or did not vote were contacted by reporters but either refused to comment or did not respond.
Agnes Gibboney, also known as an “Angel Mom,” was interviewed alongside Essayli. Her son was shot and killed in 2002 by a convicted illegal immigrant who broke into their home. The 44-year-old criminal was released in 2019, and under California law, law enforcement officers are not allowed to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or immigration authorities of their release, meaning the criminal was released back into society.
Gibboney has long been advocating for changes to California’s sanctuary policies, and she expressed anger over the rejection of the proposal in the legislature.
At the end of last December, officers from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Los Angeles arrested and deported 26 convicted illegal immigrants living in the U.S. during a three-day enforcement operation, three of whom were deemed serious criminals by the Los Angeles Superior Court.
In the 2022-23 fiscal year, ICE arrested nearly 47,000 illegal immigrants nationwide, collectively facing nearly 200,000 charges or accusations.