California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills on Friday, allocating a combined $50 million to support immigrants and defend the state against potential legal challenges from the Trump administration. The governor emphasized that the funding would not be used to protect immigrants convicted of serious or violent felonies.
One bill designates $25 million to nonprofit organizations providing legal immigration services to individuals “at risk of detention, deportation, eviction, wage theft, intimate partner violence, and other actions that put their safety at risk” due to federal policies. In his signing statement, Newsom highlighted that the bill aims to safeguard the civil rights of California’s “most vulnerable residents,” including people with disabilities, homeless individuals, victims of human trafficking and wage theft, and immigrants.
The governor also urged state lawmakers to pass additional legislation if further clarification on the funding’s restrictions is needed.
The second bill allocates $25 million to the state Department of Justice to challenge federal policies “that adversely impact the state, its taxpayers, and residents” through litigation.
The bills were approved by state lawmakers on February 3. California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-District 29) expressed concerns over President Donald Trump’s executive actions targeting federal agencies and the administration’s recent freeze on funding, which he said has disrupted critical community resources.
“Right now, Californians are being threatened by an out-of-control administration in Washington that doesn’t care about the Constitution and thinks there are no limits to its power,” Rivas told the assembly on February 3. “We must ensure that our residents receive the federal services and benefits that they have contributed to and that they deserve.”
On February 7, California joined a coalition of attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia in filing an emergency motion to enforce a restraining order against the Trump administration’s freeze on federal financial assistance.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo on January 27 instructing federal agencies to suspend the distribution of grants, loans, and other financial assistance while programs were reviewed to align with the president’s policy priorities.
California has also taken steps to protect immigrants amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to conduct enforcement actions in major U.S. cities, resulting in the arrest of 956 people on January 27 alone.
Newsom’s Meeting With Trump
Newsom signed the two bills a day after returning from Washington, where he met with Trump and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to secure federal disaster aid. His office described the meeting as “very productive,” with Newsom stressing the urgent need for disaster aid for those affected by recent wildfires in California.
“We’re working across the aisle, as we always have, to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need,” Newsom said in a statement on February 5. “Thank you, President Trump, for coming to our communities to see this firsthand and meeting with me today to continue our joint efforts to support people impacted.”
The governor thanked the Trump administration for its early collaboration and specifically acknowledged EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for the agency’s swift response, including deploying 1,000 individuals to assist with debris removal.
Last month, Newsom signed a $2.5 billion fire relief package to fund disaster response efforts, including evacuations, sheltering survivors, and removing household hazardous waste. His administration expects the federal government to reimburse the state for these expenses.
