Sacramento – Earlier this morning, the Assembly Committee on Public Safety convened and passed on a vote of 7-0, AB 578: Threats to Report Immigration Status by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes, a bill that would increase the penalty for the crime of threatening a witness or family of a witness with real or suspected immigration status.
“I believe that in our current heightened political climate, anyone using immigration status or suspected immigration status as a threat should be held accountable by our justice system," said Assemblymember Reyes. “It is critical to communicate our support for immigrant communities and to show them that we take their safety very seriously.”
Joseph Villela, Director of Policy and Advocacy for CHIRLA, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights reacted to the bill passing through committee saying, “AB 578 will provide additional protection to immigrants who are victims or witnesses of a crime. The subject of deportation has a greater impact on individual’s lives as it is a threat to their entire state of living.”
AB578 will be heard next in the Assembly Appropriations committee. For more information on the bill, click here.
Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes represents Assembly District 47 which includes the cities of Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, San Bernardino and the unincorporated areas of Muscoy and Bloomington.
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