Newsom Signs Sen. Eloise Reyes’ Bill Restricting Immigration Arrests Near California Courthouses

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 873, authored by Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-Colton), strengthening protections for Californians accessing the state’s courts and helping ensure that victims, witnesses, families and other court users can participate in the justice system without fear of civil immigration arrest.

SB 873 strengthens California law governing civil arrests at and around courthouses by requiring federal immigration agents to present a valid judicial warrant and clearly identify themselves before making certain arrests within 1,000 feet of a California courthouse. The measure also reinforces protections for individuals traveling to, attending or leaving court proceedings for lawful purposes.

The law is intended to prevent civil immigration enforcement activity from disrupting court proceedings or deterring people from participating in the judicial process. Recent immigration enforcement activity at courthouses has raised concerns that victims, witnesses, defendants and family members may avoid court proceedings out of fear of arrest, potentially interfering with cases and the administration of justice.

“Justice cannot work when people are afraid to walk through courthouse doors,” said Senator Reyes. “No victim, witness, or family member should have to choose between seeking justice and risking civil arrest. SB 873 protects the integrity of our courts by making clear that people must be able to participate in our legal system without fear or intimidation. Courthouses should be places where the law protects people, not places where fear prevents them from being heard. I am deeply grateful to Governor Newsom for signing this important measure and standing with us to protect safe and equal access to justice for all Californians.”

Javier Hernandez, Executive Director of Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice said the organization has seen firsthand the fear created when immigration enforcement targets people at or near courthouses in the Inland Empire.

Executive Director of the California Public Defenders Association Kate Chatfield said SB 873 will make it clear that courthouses should remain open and accessible to everyone, for the good of democracy, not just immigrants.

“When immigrants are afraid to enter our courthouses because they fear being arrested by ICE, it undermines more than their individual ability to seek justice, it threatens the principles that protect all of us,” said Policy Advocate for Western Center on Law & Poverty Tina Rosales-Torres. “Our democracy depends on the freedom to access courts without fear. If that freedom is denied to one community, the strength of that freedom for all of us is diminished. SB 873 helps ensure that our courthouses remain places where everyone, regardless of their immigration status, can seek justice safely and fairly.”

“California Senate Bill 873 represents a meaningful step forward to ensure that California immigrants are protected from heightened risks that they face when accessing their right to participate in judicial proceedings, said Amagda Pérez, Executive Director of the CRLA Foundation. “This new law will protect our clients’ safety and the integrity of California’s court system. At a time when so many in our communities have been made increasingly vulnerable, SB 873 affirms that California is committed to fairness, dignity, and equal protection under the law for all.”