Lawmakers, PORAC urges you to Vote No on SB 627.
This bill, while originally created to prevent the masked operations of federal immigrations officers, has now turned into a bill that will only be impacting your local California peace officers.
SB 627 removes important immunity protections and creates criminal penalties for an officer’s use of a facial covering outside of a narrow set of confusing exemptions. These penalties could cost an officer tens of thousands of dollars – a harsh fine for a bill that is full of vague language that is simply subject to judicial interpretation. Law enforcement throughout the state all agree that this change to the bill is extremely concerning.
By removing important immunity provisions designed to allow officers to feel comfortable doing their jobs, this bill puts the safety of California communities at risk.
SB 627 does not regulate federal immigration officers as intended – it only puts unnecessary burdens on your local California peace officers and risks halting critical undercover operations against gangs, human traffickers, and drug dealers.
Recognizing the dangers of this bill, the authors created a carve out for California state officers, forcing only your local officers to suffer the consequences.
Californians deserve to feel safe in their communities, and California peace officers deserve support from their elected leaders – SB 627 prevents both from happening.
California already has robust oversight measures to ensure that officers can be identified and held responsible for their actions. California lawmakers must work with their federal counterparts in D.C. to get federal regulation passed that can actually make a difference in how federal immigration officers operate in our state.
VOTE NO on SB 627 and support safer and smarter policing. Our communities deserve safety – not political theater.