'When is enough enough?' California bill would use taxpayer funds to protect violent illegal aliens from deportation

California Democrats on the state Assembly Judiciary Committee are poised to advance a radical piece of legislation that would use taxpayer funds to help illegal aliens who have been charged or convicted with violent felonies fight deportation.

Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D) suggested in a statement last month that the One California Immigration Services Funding program "has failed to match California's commitment to equity, as the program prohibits funds from being used to assist certain individuals who had past interactions with the criminal legal system."

In hopes of making life easier for criminal noncitizens, Jones-Sawyer introduced AB 2031, the so-called "Representation, Equity, and Protections for All Immigrants Act."

The bill notes that existing law permits the State Department of Social Services to direct taxpayer funds to nonprofit outfits via contracts "in order to provide persons with certain immigration-related legal services."

Presently, such grants are aimed at legal services for unaccompanied illegal aliens under the age of 18 who have been transferred to the care and custody of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement and are present in the state.

Under AB 2031, recipients of such legal services need no longer be current or former California residents. Now, they merely need to have "an intent" to reside in California.

Additionally, the illegal alien-facing services would be expanded to include "legal representation and related services for removal defense."

The most contentious part of the Democratic bill is its proposed removal of the current prohibition on the "use of the grant funds to provide legal services to an individual who has been convicted of, or who is currently appealing a conviction for, a violent or serious felony."

Accordingly, California taxpayers would effectively fund legal efforts to help iIlegal aliens like those who allegedly murdered beloved Georgia nursing student Laken Hope Riley, 2-year-old Jeremy Poou-Caceres of Maryland, and Ruperto Mondragon Salgado of Dallas stay in the country and possibly even eliminate their sentences.

"For as long as I have been in state office, I have worked towards ensuring people are given a second chance and have championed efforts to prevent people from being treated as second-class individuals," said Jones-Sawyer. "The REP for All Immigrants Act ensures racial justice and truly equitable access to crucial immigration services for all – not some."

Assemblyman Bilal Essayli (R) noted on X, "These are the exact policies that led to the murder of a nursing student in Georgia, Laken Riley."

Responding to the bill on X, South African billionaire Elon Muskwrote, "When is enough enough?"

Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez (R) said "AB 2031 is completely UNACCEPTABLE. Why do they want to prioritize immigrant rapists & murderers over everyone else?"

Sanchez noted further that the Assembly Judiciary committee would be holding a hearing on the bill Tuesday and asked her followers to "call your legislators to let them know your opinion on it."

Assemblyman Ash Kalra (D) is the chair of the Judiciary Committee. Diane Dixon (R) is its vice chair. The members of the committee are as follows: Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D); Isaac Bryan (D); Damon Connolly (D); Matt Haney (D); Brian Maienschein (D); Tina McKinnor (D); Blanca Pacheco (D); Kate A. Sanchez (R); Eloise Gomez Reyes (D); and Marie Waldron (R).

While critics have noted that Jones-Sawyer's bill will help criminal noncitizens at the expense of American citizens, Shayna Kessler, associate director for advocacy with the New York-based Vera Institute of Justice, appeared to figure that to be the point, suggesting that the "current criminal exclusion exacerbates systemic racism in the criminal legal and immigration systems."

"California must remain a leader in protecting its immigrant communities and pass the California REP4All Act to advance universal legal representation for all people facing deportation, regardless of their interaction with the criminal legal system," added Kessler.

Mashih Fouladi, executive director at the California Immigrant Policy Center, intimated that having citizens bankroll the legal defense of convicted murderers and rapists is a matter of helping vulnerable families.

"The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) is proud to support and co-sponsor the REP4All bill that would ensure immigrant families have access to the legal services and resources they need to thrive with safety and stability – regardless of an individual's criminal history," said Fouladi. "Publicly funded immigration services protect the most vulnerable families in our state and improve the quality of life of all Californians."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!