Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation into law that will protect the home addresses of individuals working or volunteering for organizations that assist immigrants. The new law also criminalizes the online dissemination of their personal information with the intent to incite violence against them.
Assembly Bill 2624, authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta, establishes a statewide address confidentiality program for those providing legal, humanitarian, or other services to immigrants, particularly those who have experienced threats, harassment, or violence due to their work. Approved applicants will be required to register with the secretary of state, provide documentation of a threat within the past year, and will be issued a substitute address that government agencies must generally recognize.
The program is slated to commence on October 1, 2027. Governor Newsom signed the bill without issuing a public statement. This measure was among five bills signed into law on the same day, addressing topics ranging from the State Bar's use of artificial intelligence to child custody mediation, online publication of local government audits, and health education in schools.
The legislation applies to service providers, employees, and volunteers associated with nonprofit organizations, community legal clinics, law offices, and health facilities that serve immigrants. It specifically prohibits the online posting of a participant's personal information or image with the explicit intent to incite immediate serious bodily harm or to instill a reasonable fear for their safety.
Critics, such as Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, have characterized the bill as the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” referencing an online influencer. DeMaio argued that the bill could impede citizen journalism by restricting the publication of personal information. Carolyn Iodice of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression expressed concern that similar laws have been previously invoked to shield officials' personal information from journalistic scrutiny, potentially impacting the press's ability to report on newsworthy matters.
In a statement, Assemblymember Bonta asserted that AB 2624 addresses a climate of intimidation faced by immigrant aid workers. She emphasized that the law aims to protect the freedom of service providers to perform their duties without fear and to ensure the press can operate without being associated with illicit doxxing. Bonta highlighted that the law rejects the demonization of immigrant communities and those who support them, particularly in response to anti-immigrant rhetoric.
