Particle.news

Swalwell Vows to Bar ICE Officers From California State Jobs, Expand Penalties if Elected Governor

The gubernatorial candidate is escalating his platform against ICE in ways that legal experts say would likely be challenged in court.

Overview

  • Eric Swalwell said he would use emergency powers to make current and former ICE officers unhirable across California state agencies and condition grants to deter local governments from employing them.
  • He reiterated plans to revoke or deny California driver’s licenses to ICE agents who conceal their identities, with broader limits on licensing for agency employees.
  • Swalwell pledged to direct state and local authorities to pursue charges such as battery, false imprisonment, or murder against agents accused of misconduct under state law.
  • He described ICE as needing to be dismantled and framed the proposals as a response to recent enforcement incidents, including the Minneapolis killing of Renee Good and operations in California.
  • Federal officials have defended ICE actions, noting a Compton case where a suspect allegedly rammed officers with a vehicle, and related California rules on masked federal agents remain tied up in litigation.