The California TRUST Act The TRUST Act limits local jails from wastefully holding people for extra time, solely for deportation purposes. This new law is called the TRUST Act. The TRUST Act will keep families together, save local resources, and enhance community confidence in local enforcement. What the TRUST Act does The TRUST Act sets a minimum standard across the state to limit cruel and costly immigration “hold” requests in local jails. These optional holds are often caused by the deeply controversial “Secure” Communities or S-Comm program. They trap undocumented and immigrant Californians – and even citizens – for extra time, at local expense, just because ICE thinks it can deport them. The TRUST Act ensures that people with most low-level, non-violent offenses are not wastefully held for deportation purposes. At the same time, it allows holds for most felony convictions and also for those accused of felonies under certain circumstances, along with a number of higher level misdemeanor (or “wobbler”) convictions within 5 years and for certain federal criminal convictions. Since all immigration holds risk violating the constitution, local governments can and should enact further protections.
Why we need the TRUST Act By entangling our local police and sheriffs in the machinery of deportation, the federal government has undermined community safety, put survivors and witnesses to crimes at risk, and wasted important local resources. Over 100,000 Californians have been deported through S-Comm alone. Countless families have been broken up, and countless children are now without their parents. But with the TRUST Act and even stronger local policies, California is forging a new path which President Obama and Congress should quickly follow.
Who is helped by the TRUST Act? During the three-year fight to pass the TRUST Act, many courageous undocumented Californians facing deportation spoke out. This includes:
Letter of Intent: Approved by the California legislature in August 2014, this letter from Assembly member Ammiano (sponsor of the TRUST Act) clarifies several provisions in the new law.
