Summary:

Please sign our petition to support California legislation that would prevent immigration enforcement agents from accessing private areas of social service organizations and shelters without meeting specific criteria, including the possession of a judicial warrant.

 

The Full Picture:

On January 21, 2025, the Trump Administration revoked a previous policy that was designed to prevent ICE agents from conducting immigration enforcement operations in “sensitive locations” such as hospitals, schools, and courthouses (Pearson, 2025). Instead, ICE Assistant Field Office Directors and Assistant Special Agents in Charge are responsible for determining when and where immigration enforcement actions are conducted on a case-by-case basis (CalMatters, n.d.).

 

In direct response to this change in federal policy, California Senator Susan Rubio, along with California Senator Jesse Arreguín, California Senator Sabrina Cervantes, California Assemblymember Mike Gipson, and California Assemblymember Nick Schultz, introduced California Senate Bill (SB) 841, also known as the Keep Safe Spaces Safe Act, in February 2025 (CalMatters, n.d.).

 

The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that everyone has access to necessary support without fear of being detained by ICE. The bill specifically prohibits employees of homeless shelters, rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, family justice centers, and human trafficking service providers from allowing ICE to access private areas of these facilities without meeting specific criteria, such as the possession of a judicial warrant (CalMatters, n.d.).

 

Despite strong support from over forty organizations and no formal opposition or votes against it, SB 841 was moved to the inactive file on September 9, 2025 (CalMatters, n.d.).

 

As Master of Social Work students, we recognize the importance of ensuring that everyone, regardless of immigration status, has access to safe spaces to seek out support. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics emphasizes that social workers must advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, self-determination and empowerment, and social justice for all people, but particularly for marginalized populations (National Association of Social Workers, 2021). As such, it is our responsibility to advocate for policies like SB 841 that support these values.

 

We urge you to support SB 841 by signing our petition asking the California Senators representing the Coachella Valley to make SB 841 active again and pass it into law. Thank you!

 

Works Cited:

CalMatters. (n.d.). SB 841: Immigration enforcement. CalMatters. https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb841

 

National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of ethics. National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English

 

Pearson, L. D. (2025, February 26). Factsheet: Trump’s rescission of protected areas policies undermines safety for all. National Immigration Law Center. https://www.nilc.org/resources/factsheet-trumps-rescission-of-protected-areas-policies-undermines-safety-for-all/