'Shocking' California bill to protect violent illegal immigrants from deportation draws fierce backlash

One California assemblywoman is speaking out against a bill that would protect illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes from deportation, calling the possible legislation "shocking."

California Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez joined "Fox & Friends" to discuss the bill, which is currently shelved, and why she considered the text "mind" blowing.

"I have to tell you honestly, our California voters and people across the nation deserve transparency," Sanchez told Brian Kilmeade on Tuesday. "They deserve… to know their hardworking taxpayer dollars are going, especially times that just now, are going to things that we want to reward in California, not to expand a program that would have allowed convicted illegal immigrants to stay here.

"It blows my mind," she continued. "Honestly, it was one of those bills that you have to read two to three times, and it was shocking all the way through."

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Democratic Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, left, Republican Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez, right  (Getty Images, 'Fox & Friends' screengrab)

The Representation, Equity and Protections (REP) for All Immigrants Act, introduced by Democrat Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer last month, would remove restrictions on grant funds to provide immigration-related legal services to those convicted of violent or serious felonies, according to the official summary of the bill.

"As long as I have been in the state office, I've worked towards ensuring the people are given a second chance," Jones-Sawyer said of the legislation. "The REP for All Immigrants Act ensures racial justice and truly equitable access to crucial immigration services for all."

The funds would come from the One California program, which provides $45 million in grants each year for nonprofits to provide free immigration legal services, and to conduct "education and outreach" in "immigrant communities." The funding is intended to help those who cannot otherwise afford an attorney.

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The services include legal representation, including those facing deportation, and also those applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, naturalizing and Temporary Protected Status (TPS). But it currently bars those funds from being used for those convicted of certain crimes.

The legislation would ultimately end those restrictions and also update the program to expand the services that can be provided to include interpreters, social services and litigation costs, if passed. 

"It would give hardworking taxpayer dollars to fund and expand a program that would allow criminals, illegal alien criminals that have been convicted, to stay in California," Sanchez said. "Not only that, it would expand it to those across the United States with... the intent to come to California to live."

The bill prompted a swarm of scrutiny from Republicans and critics alike. Even Elon Musk chimed in on the bill, writing, "When is enough enough?" on X over the weekend. 

Sanchez said after the bill's critics made their voices heard, it was ultimately shelved and faces uncertainty moving forward. 

"We saw this bill late Saturday night, amended and pushed through the Judiciary Committee, which we would have seen this morning," Sanchez said. "However, the author has pulled the bill because we sounded the alarms and involved the community and the people of California, and the response was overwhelming. So as of now, it's shelved. It's not dead, but it's shelved."

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Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report. 

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