What’s Next for California’s Resistance to Immigration Crackdowns?

July 8, 2025

The article describes escalating immigration enforcement under President Trump's second term, including ICE raids in California that have prompted significant protests and controversial military deployments. A June 7 memorandum authorized National Guard and active-duty forces to support ICE operations, leading to the massive "No Kings" protest on June 14 involving over 5 million participants nationwide. Former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and California Attorney General Rob Bonta have criticized these enforcement actions, noting that 65% of those detained by ICE had no criminal convictions.

Who is affected

Undocumented immigrants in California, particularly in Los Angeles
204,297 people detained by ICE between October 2024 and June 14, 2025 (65% with no criminal convictions)
Babies born to mothers illegally present or with temporary legal status and fathers without citizenship/permanent residency (affected by birthright citizenship restrictions)
California's economy and workforce (1.5 million undocumented workers generate 5% of state's economic activity)
Up to 3.4 million potential Medi-Cal enrollees who could lose coverage
Potentially 11.8 million people nationwide who could lose health insurance

What action is being taken

National Guard and active-duty armed forces are being deployed to support ICE raids
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other Democratic attorneys general are filing lawsuits against the Trump administration (26 cases in 23 weeks)
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is running the Los Angeles County Rapid Response Network
California is considering two bills (SB 627 "No Secret Police Act" and SB 805 "No Vigilantes Act") to increase law enforcement transparency
Nationwide protests are occurring, including the "No Kings" protest that drew over 5 million participants

Why it matters

The enforcement approach targets many immigrants without criminal records, with data showing 93% of those detained had no violent offenses
The Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling limiting nationwide injunctions affects how states can challenge federal immigration policies
The economic impact of removing all undocumented workers from California would reduce economic activity by approximately $275 billion (9% of state GDP)
The "Big Beautiful Bill" and healthcare tax changes would cost California over $28 billion in federal dollars and 217,000 jobs
These policies represent a significant shift in immigration enforcement approach compared to previous administrations

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint