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A Democratic California lawmaker is taking aim at citizens looking to hold jobs in crucial public service fields by barring individuals who are currently working as ICE agents from applying, citing “immorality” concerns.
Assembly Bill 1627 would disqualify applicants who are currently serving as ICE agents under the Trump administration from working at any state or local police agency within California.
The bill would also prohibit current ICE agents from holding roles in the state’s education system, including working as teachers or administrators. If passed, the restriction would encompass all public school districts and charter schools, ranging from kindergarten through the California State University system and California State University.
Assembly member Anamarie Ávila Farias, D-Martinez, introduced the bill just days after Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis.
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“Beginning in 2025, [ICE] officers have terrorized California residents, United States citizens and noncitizens alike, through untargeted arrests and brutality based on nothing more than a person’s racial appearance, language spoken, means of earning a living, or exercise of First Amendment-protected expression,” the bill states.
The bill goes on to pinpoint ICE agents who took up their positions after President Donald Trump’s second inauguration.
“Participating in the operations of [ICE] on or after January 20, 2025, demonstrates an immorality that California cannot afford to have in its ranks of peace officers, teachers, and other public employees whose duties include interacting with the public.”
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Farias did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The move comes as police departments within the state are continuing to grapple with staffing shortages, according to data compiled by the Peace Officers Research Association of California.
The 2025 report states that law enforcement agencies throughout California have lost over 3,300 sworn officers and 400 civilian staff since 2020, with an average of 10% of policing roles remaining unfilled in the state.
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In addition to AB 1627, several other California lawmakers have proposed anti-ICE legislation amid heightened nationwide tension following increased deportation efforts throughout the country.
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., has said he would aim to restrict ICE agents from holding any state job if elected California governor, while also adding he would confiscate the driver’s licenses of federal agents in the state who wear facial coverings while on duty, according to FOX 2.
Similarly, state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, proposed a bill that would make it easier for California residents to sue federal agents accused of violating their constitutional rights.
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State Assemblyman Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, has also reportedly publicly pushed for a bill that would tax private ICE detention centers within the state as a way to discourage companies from building new facilities.
Earlier this week, state Assembly member Alex Lee, D-San Jose, announced he is planning to introduce legislation that would effectively end state tax breaks for companies that have contractual agreements with ICE, FOX 2 reported.
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Several counties throughout the Bay Area have also reportedly made efforts to create ICE-free zones within the state.
AB 1627 is set to be heard in committee as soon as Feb. 26 before needing approval from both legislative houses and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s sign-off to become law.
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