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Senate committee advances bill to train local police on transnational repression amid heated testimony
Summary
A California Senate committee voted unanimously to send SB 509 to the Appropriations Committee after testimony from the bill's author and advocates for immigrant victims, and opposition from several Indian American groups who said the measure could be politicized or weaponized against diaspora communities.
A California Senate committee voted to pass SB 509 out of committee to the Appropriations Committee after a public hearing that included both supporters urging better protection for diaspora communities and opponents warning the law could be used to stigmatize minority groups.
Senator Anna Caballero, the bill's author, said SB 509 would authorize the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to develop specialized training so local law enforcement could recognize and document transnational repression'the intimidation, threats and violence that some foreign governments direct at dissidents and asylum seekers living in the United States. "This bill ensures that law enforcement officers receive the specialized training needed to recognize and respond to unique threats posed by foreign governments targeting individuals on U.S. soil," Caballero said.
Supporters told the committee they have…
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