Golden State Democrats push back on federal immigration actions, call for ban on ICE agents taking state jobs

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — California Democrats on Tuesday continued their legislative assault on what they see as the federal government’s overreach, targeting ICE agents’ ability to get a state job.

Introduced this week, Assembly Bill 1627 would prohibit anyone from holding a host of jobs — including law enforcement officer, teacher or principal — if they worked for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement between Sept. 1, 2025, and Jan. 20, 2029.

The bill — called the Misconduct Ends Law-Enforcement Trust Act of 2026 or the MELT ICE Act — also would bar them from those jobs in the Golden State if they worked for the Alabama or Georgia departments of corrections between Jan. 1, 2020, and Jan. 1, 2026.

“California’s peace officers and teachers must be guardians of constitutional rights, not participants in their erosion,” said Assemblymember Anamarie Ávila Farías, a Martinez Democrat and the bill’s author, in a statement. “Public service requires integrity, restraint and respect for due process.”

According to Ávila Farías’ office, ICE agents have terrorized citizens and immigrants alike since last year, arresting people based on their racial appearance, language or their First Amendment-protected speech. Her office pointed to the two state corrections departments as having documented patterns of abuse.

Ávila Farías’ bill would ensure that people who her office said are linked to violating people’s civil liberties could never hold positions of authority in law enforcement or the classroom.

“When Californians interact with a peace officer or a teacher, they deserve to know that person respects the Constitution, the dignity of every individual, and the limits of their power,” Ávila Farías said in a statement.

The legislation is part of a larger push by California Democrats against what they see as the egregious excesses of President Donald Trump’s administration. State senators on Tuesday followed Ávila Farías’ bill with successful votes on the No Kings Act and legislation that would prohibit a candidate’s name from appearing on a state ballot for president if they’ve already served two terms in that office.

Both of those Senate bills now proceed to the Assembly. Ávila Farías’ bill is expected to reach its first committee this spring.

The No Kings Act — Senate Bill 747, written by state Senators Scott Wiener and Aisha Wahab — would enable people to sue federal agents when they violate their rights. People can already sue local and state officers when such violations occur. However, Wiener said there are few legal routes for people when federal officers are the perpetrators.

It passed 30 to 10.

The San Francisco Democrat said his bill focuses on accountability. He, like many other California Democrats over the past several days, invoked the shooting deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti — two people fatally shot by ICE agents in Minnesota this month.

“California is not going to let these thugs get away with it,” Wiener said on the Senate floor.

State Senator Tony Strickland, a Huntington Beach Republican, said lawmakers should revoke California’s sanctuary state status if they wanted to ensure they avoid the chaos in Minneapolis. He suggested the bill contained more politics than policy.

“There’s a lot of hyperbole on this floor,” Strickland said.

Senators also passed another bill that stemmed from Trump’s actions: Senate Bill 46, which passed in a 30-to-10 vote.

The bill — written by state Senator Tom Umberg, a Santa Ana Democrat — would prohibit the secretary of state from putting a candidate’s name on California’s ballot for president or vice president if they don’t affirm under oath that they qualify for the office. The secretary would have the power to investigate a candidate’s qualifications if they had reasonable suspicion.

Umberg argued it would stop a president from running for a third term on California’s ballot — a move Trump has said he’s considered.

State Senator Steven Choi, an Irvine Republican, argued against the bill, saying it would give the secretary of state broad discretion over who could appear on the ballot. He added state government had no power to determine a federal candidate’s qualifications for office.