SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on California lawmakers proposing bills to protect immigrants (all times local):
3:40 p.m.
California lawmakers are proposing urgent bills to fund immigration lawyers and assist public defenders in helping protect immigrants in the state from President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for more deportations.
State Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, said Monday he is proposing the measure to fund lawyers for immigrants in deportation proceedings.
Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Alameda, has introduced a bill to help public defenders assess the immigration consequences of criminal convictions.
The measures are among a series of proposals being discussed by lawmakers and immigrant advocates in California.
Other ideas include protecting immigrants’ information in state databases and further limiting law enforcement collaboration with deportation agents.
California has more than 10 million residents who are foreign-born.
___
2:11 p.m.
A resolution over immigration has sparked a heated debate on the first day of California’s new legislative session - a day more typically reserved for handshakes and bipartisan photo-ops.
Democratic state lawmakers on Monday passed a resolution in both chambers urging President-elect Donald Trump to not seek the mass deportation of immigrants and continue to issue work permits to young people in the country illegally who were brought here as children.
Republican state lawmakers called the measure antagonistic and said it was sprung on them in violation of a new law requiring advanced notice of new legislation.
Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers of California’s Legislature. In addition to the resolution, Democratic lawmakers are planning bills aimed at protecting immigrants in the state from Trump’s campaign promises of more deportations.
___
9:18 am
California lawmakers are planning bills to help protect immigrants from an expected increase in immigration enforcement under President-elect Donald Trump.
Lawmakers on Monday are expected to introduce a resolution committing the state to protecting its immigrant population. They are also expected to introduce bills to provide attorneys to immigrants in deportation proceedings and help public defenders weigh the immigration consequences of criminal convictions.
The moves come as the nation’s most populous state prepares for tougher immigration enforcement promised by Trump during the presidential campaign.
Immigrant advocates say state bills are also being considered to limit federal immigration enforcement and protect immigrants’ information in state databases.
U.S. Census Bureau data shows California has more than 10 million foreign-born residents.
Both houses of the California legislature have Democratic supermajorities.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.