Newsom, Bonta want Californians to report federal agents’ misconduct. Here’s how
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- California has an online portal for residents to report alleged federal agent misconduct.
- People can upload photos and video to the California Department of Justice.
- The federal government is suing California over new state laws for masked agents.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta on Wednesday announced the creation of an online portal to report alleged misconduct of federal agents in California.
The online portal, which sends the submitted information to the California Department of Justice, allows people to submit video and photos. The state leaders said the submitted information creates a record of potential unlawful conduct by federal agents for possible legal actions the state may take to protect Californians’ rights.
“We’re not going to stand by while anyone — including federal agents — abuses their authority in California,” Newsom said in a news release. “This new portal gives Californians an easy and safe way to speak up, share what they see and help us hold people accountable. No one is above the law.”
The announcement of the webpage comes a few weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to block recently passed California laws to prohibit law enforcement officials, including federal immigration agents, from wearing masks and other face coverings. The new laws also require them to identify themselves when conducting law enforcement activities.
“If enforced against the federal government, the laws would recklessly endanger the lives of federal agents and their family members and compromise the operational effectiveness of federal law enforcement activities,” the federal lawsuit against the California laws says. “Accordingly, the federal government does not intend to comply with the challenged laws.”
The mask laws passed by the California Legislature and signed by Newsom were a response to numerous immigration raids over the past several months in California and throughout the country. The immigration raids are part of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation program.
Masked federal immigration agents wearing military-style tactical gear have arrived in public areas and chased down people, such as a July raid in the parking lot of a Home Depot store in south Sacramento.
“The Trump administration is engaging in a campaign of terror and fear that has left some California communities scared to go about their daily lives,” Bonta said in the news release. “From unmarked military-style vehicles to detainments that more closely resemble kidnappings, Californians are rightly concerned that federal agents may be crossing the line and abusing their authority.”
Newsom and Bonta made it clear that federal agents have broad authority to enforce federal laws, including federal immigration laws.
“But they must also do so lawfully and in compliance with the Constitution,” Bonta said.
The form is available at oag.ca.gov/reportmisconduct.
