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Committee rejects bill to bar state immigration legal funds for some immigrants with felony convictions
Summary
AB 1066, which would bar use of state-funded immigration legal services for some immigrants with felony convictions, failed to pass out of the Assembly Human Services Committee after a contested hearing.
Assemblymember Castillo presented AB 1066, a bill that would prohibit state-funded immigration legal assistance from being used to represent individuals who are unlawfully present and convicted of certain serious felony offenses. The author said the measure is intended to ensure that state dollars are not used to provide legal services to people convicted of crimes such as drug trafficking, attempted murder, or sexual offenses, and noted the governor’s signing message on prior legislation welcoming clarifying legislation.
Opponents including Bruno from the California Immigrant Policy Center and multiple immigrant-rights organizations said the bill would severely limit access to legal counsel and due process, harm families, and align state policy with federal mass‑deportation agendas. “AB 6 6 would severely limit access to these core services and align state policy with the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda,” Bruno testified. Dozens of advocacy organizations filed opposition statements and several representatives from legal-aid and immigrant-rights groups spoke against the bill.
Nut graf: The bill drew a sharp divide between authors who argued taxpayer funds should not subsidize legal defense for people convicted of serious felonies and opponents who said denying legal representation would undermine due process, risk wrongful deportations, and harm long-standing immigrant communities.
Procedure and outcome: The measure was moved and seconded, debated at length and ultimately the committee’s final recorded vote shows the measure did not pass (final committee record: tied or failing vote; the hearing record ultimately reports the measure failed in committee). Some members emphasized California’s sanctuary and due-process commitments in opposing the measure.
Ending: AB 1066 failed to pass out of the Human Services Committee on the final recorded action. Opponents urged continued investment in legal services that protect due process for immigrants and their families.
