New CA bill would let people sue ICE agents who violate rights

A San Francisco state senator unveiled legislation Tuesday that aims to give Californians the right to seek damages from federal agents, as President Donald Trump’s administration continues to ramp up immigration enforcement across the U.S.

The bill authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat and congressional hopeful, would enable people to file a lawsuit or seek redress against local, state and federal officers for violating their constitutional rights.

• Wiener, at a press conference: “This (federal) administration is attempting to wield unchecked power to illegally kidnap and deport people, to punish the administration’s political opponents using government resources, to freeze university funding and to fire thousands of federal workers en masse.”

The measure works to promote what’re known as Bivens lawsuits, a precedent established by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1971, which permits individuals to sue federal officers for violating their constitutional rights. But in the years since, the high court has curtailed Bivens actions, making it difficult for people to bring forth claims and recover damages.

In October ProPublica found that more than 170 U.S. citizens have been detained during immigration sweeps — some of whom were reportedly beaten and shot. Little recourse is available for victims, though in a rare case, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department arrested a federal immigration enforcement officer last week after he held a teenage boy at gunpoint and detained him.

Wiener’s proposal comes a day after the Trump administration filed a lawsuit to block a new California law written by Wiener that bans law enforcement officers, including federal agents, from wearing face coverings.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned other agencies that criminals have posed as immigration agents to carry out crimes, but the U.S. Department of Justice said California’s law threatens the safety of federal officers.

The California State University’s board of trustees plans to vote today on whether to change the university system’s executive pay structure in a way that would boost their wages — a potential overhaul that has drawn blowback from Cal State’s unionized staff and faculty, writes CalMatters’ Mikhail Zinshteyn.

Currently, Cal State caps the base pay of its 22 campus presidents at a salary that’s no more than 10% above what their predecessors made. Raises for sitting presidents are also no higher than 10%. The average base pay for presidents ranges from $370,000 to more than $500,000. 

But Cal State says the policy leads to uncompetitive compensation. Trustees are deciding on a plan that would raise the executive base pay (along with overall wage increases for other Cal State workers), and add a 15% incentive-based pay bump that executives would be eligible for.

The proposal comes during a time when Cal State is facing limited budgets, layoffs and program cuts.

• Erin Foote, a union board member for California State Employees Union: “I am mad. … We are going to knock the doors of our legislators so hard there will be holes in them until they stand with us in their budget negotiations.”

Read more here.

Tom Steyer, a billionaire environmental activist and former hedge fund manager, said today that he is running to be California’s next governor, reports CalMatters’ Maya C. Miller.

Steyer kicked off his campaign with a video where he pledges to preserve the state as a place for business and innovation, while also lowering California’s cost of living by making corporations pay “their fair share.”

• Steyer: “The Californians who make this state run are being run over by the cost of living. Californians deserve a life they can afford.”

The mega-donor for California Democrats spent more than $12.8 million in support of Proposition 50, making him the second-largest independent ad buyer in state history. As an outspoken critic of Trump, Steyer poured millions in a national ad campaign that advocated for the president’s impeachment during his first term. Steyer also ran for president in 2020 before ultimately dropping out of the race. 

Read more here.

Weeks after Southern California Edison outlined a compensation program for victims of the Eaton Fire, residents say its proposed payouts exclude some residents and underpay others. CalMatters’ Malena Carollo and video strategy director Robert Meeks have a video segment on Edison’s contentious proposal as part of our partnership with PBS SoCal. Watch it here.

And check out another video from CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang and Robert about a new California law that bans ultra-processed foods from school meals. Watch it here.

SoCalMatters airs at 5:58 p.m. weekdays on PBS SoCal.