California lawmaker cites ICE agent ‘misbehavior’ in bill to ban government jobs
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A Democratic California lawmaker is targeting citizens who want to hold jobs in key public service sectors by barring people who work as ICE agents from applying, citing concerns about “improper conduct”.
Assembly Bill 1627 would exempt applicants currently serving as ICE agents under the Trump administration from working at any state or local police agency in California.
The bill would also bar current ICE agents from participating in the federal education system, including working as teachers or administrators. If passed, this restriction would include all public school districts and charter schools, from kindergarten through the California State University system and California State University.
Assemblywoman Anamarie Ávila Farias, D-Martinez, introduced the bill just days after Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis.
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Hundreds of anti-ICE protesters gather to show solidarity with Minneapolis in a protest against ICE’s move across the country, in San Francisco, California on January 23, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“From 2025, [ICE] officials have terrorized California citizens, United States citizens and non-citizens alike, with arbitrary arrests and brutality based solely on a person’s racial appearance, language, means of livelihood, or use of speech protected by the First Amendment,” the bill said.
The bill continues to target ICE agents who took their positions after the second inauguration of President Donald Trump.
“Participating in the activities of [ICE] on or after January 20, 2025, demonstrates the level of misconduct that California cannot afford to have within its ranks of peace officers, teachers, and other public servants whose duties include public relations.”
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Border Patrol agents and other law enforcement officials investigate a shooting incident involving a federal agent Wednesday morning in Willowbrook, California on January 21, 2026. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Farias did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
This move comes as police departments in the province continue to face the problem of staff shortages, according to the data compiled by the Peace Officers Research Association of California.
The 2025 report states that law enforcement agencies across California have lost more than 3,300 sworn officers and 400 civilian employees by 2020, with an estimated 10% of police roles remaining unfilled in the state.
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Residents and registered nurses from Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center hold a vigil for Alex Pretti, a registered nurse who was shot and killed while working for ICE in Minneapolis on January 28, 2026 in San Pedro, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
In addition to AB 1627, several other California lawmakers have proposed anti-ICE legislation amid heightened statewide tensions following increased deportation efforts across the country.
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Castro Valley, said he would aim to restrict ICE agents from holding any state job if elected governor of California, adding that he would revoke the driver’s licenses of federal agents in the state who wear face masks while on duty, according to FOX 2.
Similarly, State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, has proposed a bill that would make it easier for California residents to sue federal agents accused of violating their constitutional rights.
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State legislator Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, has also reportedly come out in favor of a bill that would tax private ICE detention facilities in the state as a way to discourage companies from building new facilities.
Earlier this week, State Assemblyman Alex Lee, D-San Jose, announced that he plans to introduce upcoming legislation that would effectively end tax breaks for companies that have contractual agreements with ICE, FOX 2 reported.
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Several counties throughout the Bay Area have reportedly made efforts to create ICE-free zones within the county.
AB 1627 will be heard in committee as soon as Feb. 26 before requiring approval in both houses of the Legislature and the signature of Gov. Gavin Newsom to become law.
