California Assembly Considers Bill to Protect Data from ICE

Local and state governments regularly collect personal information about us and store it in databases–often without our knowledge and consent. Even when government has a seemingly benevolent purpose for doing so, government all too often reuses that data in a manner that hurts us.

Given Pres. Donald Trump’s promise to deport millions of immigrants, and a surge in immigration enforcement against people not engaged in criminal activity, we fear California databases will be misused to target immigrants communities. Many state and local government agencies have databases that the federal government might try to use to identify, locate, and deport immigrants.

That’s why EFF supports S.B. 54, the California Values Act. This bill would bar California law enforcement agencies (including state, local, and school police) from sharing their databases for purposes of immigration enforcement.

In April, the California Senate approved S.B. 54 and sent it on the California Assembly. EFF has renewed its support for S.B. 54. We hope you will, too.