'Newsom-proof California': Lawmaker proposes bill to strengthen fight against illegal immigration, trafficking

close

Video

'We need to Newsom-proof California': CA lawmaker introduces bill to end 'sanctuary state' shield for sex traffickers

California Republican Assemblymember Kate Sanchez will introduce a bill to crack down on a loophole clause in the state's current law that prevents federal and state officials from working together on targeting sex traffickers.

While legislators in the Democratic trifecta are trying to pass bills to "Trump-proof" the state, California Republican Kate Sanchez plans to introduce a bill that would crack down on what may be a "sanctuary state" loophole protecting criminal illegal immigrants involved in sex-trafficking minors.

"It would eliminate all of the unnecessary restrictions for local law enforcement to cooperate with federal law enforcement in order to go after those that have been accused or convicted of sex trafficking of minors, and currently there is a clause that they cannot communicate as openly as possible," Sanchez told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

NEWSOM BILL COULD SPEND TAX MONEY TO DEFEND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM TRUMP DEPORTATION PUSH: CA LAWMAKER

California Republican Assemblymember Kate Sanchez discusses her new bill to crack down on sex traffickers that may be covered under a state penal exception. (Fox News Digital Screenshot/AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

These restrictions are part of California's "sanctuary state" policies, which are designed to limit state and local law enforcement's involvement in federal immigration enforcement. For her part, the specific provisions that Sanchez wants to amend are found in the California Values Act (SB 54), which was enacted in 2017, that restricts local law enforcement agencies from using resources to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect or arrest individuals for immigration enforcement purposes. 

There are exceptions in SB 54 for individuals convicted of certain serious or violent crimes. However, sex trafficking is not always classified as a violent felony under California law – making it so that some convicted sex traffickers may not meet the criteria for local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities – potentially thwarting deportation efforts.

Sanchez argues this creates a loophole that could allow illegal immigrants who are involved in sex trafficking to remain in the U.S. after serving their sentence. In 2023, Newsom signed Senate Bill 14 (SB 14), reclassifying the trafficking of a minor as a "serious" felony, but other forms of human trafficking may still not be considered violent felonies under state law.

"So, we want to make sure we remove that piece of the penal code and allow them to communicate and do their job fully," Sanchez said. 

'DEVASTATING': CALIFORNIA HAD RECORD RAINFALL LAST YEAR, BUT LACKED INFRASTRUCTURE TO STORE IT

President Donald Trump, center, speaks as first lady Melania Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom listen after arriving on Air Force One at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Sanchez's bill may align well with President Donald Trump's mass deportation plan currently underway, but it faces an uphill battle in her state legislature, which is dominated by Democrats. Currently, Democratic assemblymembers – in collaboration with Newsom – are trying to pass a series of bills that would bolster the state's legal defense against the Trump administration. The State Senate already passed the bills last week.

"It is an uphill battle in Sacramento, but I do feel the tide is turning[.]"

Democrats were set to pass the $50 million special session bill Thursday, but Assembly lawmakers reportedly blocked the package over concerns that there may be changes that need to be made to the immigration-related proposal. At issue is Newsom's $25 million allocation for nonprofit organizations to defend illegal immigrants from deportation, and whether those funds would be used as well for criminal illegal immigrants. 

Newsom's office told Fox News Digital previously that no funds would go to criminal illegal immigrants. 

NEWSOM PROPOSES $25M FROM STATE LEGISLATURE TO 'TRUMP-PROOF' CALIFORNIA

Illegal migrants are detained by the U.S. Coast Guard in Southern California. ( USCG Southern California via X)

"Data, including from traditionally conservative organizations, shows immigrants – including those undocumented – commit crimes at far lower rates than citizens do," a Newsom spokesperson told Fox News Digital in an email. "These one-off instances are horrific. The broader narrative pushed by a small group in the right wing is dangerous. It’s meant to stoke fear, demonize entire communities, and is a sad attempt to score cheap political points."

The spokesperson stated there are already laws on the books to allow federal and local law enforcement to work together. The spokesperson added that the Ninth Circuit upheld SB 54 in 2019, affirming that states have the right to decide how they allocate their resources under the Tenth Amendment.

Newsom called a special legislative session quickly after Trump's electoral victory to secure additional funding for the state's legal defense against the administration. Reacting to the development on his TruthSocial account at the time, Trump said, "He is using the term 'Trump-Proof' as a way of stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to 'Make California Great Again,' but I just overwhelmingly won the Election."

Sanchez – who says she has been shut out of the legislature's Hispanic Caucus because she's a Republican – said the legislature should be focusing on "fireproofing" the state, or rather, "Newsom-proofing California." 

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"Take it for what it's worth, but I genuinely feel like there are victims and there are people in need that we should be advocating for protecting our most vulnerable, protecting the innocence of our children," Sanchez said. "It is an uphill battle in Sacramento, but I do feel the tide is turning, and I know we will be looking to our federal counterparts to be helpful in this matter as well."