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Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 509 (SB 509) on Sunday, October 12, sparing diverse diasporic communities in California from what critics called “potential divisions over redundant transnational repression training mandates.”
SB 509 was authored by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) to create a specialized law enforcement training program to help officers recognize and respond to transnational repression — the harassment, threats, and intimidation carried out in the U.S. by foreign governments against diaspora communities. The Bill was co-authored by Jasmeet Bains (D-35, Bakersfield) and Esmeralda Soria (D-27, Merced).
In a statement accompanying the introduction of SB 509, Caballero stated that authoritarian regimes around the world are extending their influence into the United States, targeting immigrant, refugee, and asylum-seeker communities. Through methods such as digital surveillance, monitoring of social media, and covert intimidation tactics, these governments aim to silence dissent and stifle free expression—even within U.S. borders.
“Just as law enforcement is trained to identify domestic violence and human trafficking, they must also be prepared to protect communities targeted by foreign governments. SB 509 is about justice, dignity, and ensuring that no one in California lives in fear because of who they are or where they come from,” said Caballero. “All Californians deserve to feel safe in their homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods.”
California’s diverse communities — especially ethnic and religious minorities who have fled oppressive regimes — have often been targets of abuse. But local police often don’t have the training to spot these problems or help the victims properly. Senate Bill 509 was supported by both police leaders and immigrant rights groups, like the California Police Chiefs Association and Immigrant Defense Advocates. The bill would have specifically required the Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) in consultation with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards, to develop training to identify and respond to transnational repression.
Critics of the Bill, including certain Hindu and Indian American groups, feared legislative overreach, concerned about its potential to stigmatize communities of Indian origin. According to Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a vocal opponent of the proposed legislation, the bill’s “focus on specific training for local law enforcement duplicated federal guidelines from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, risking unnecessary profiling and fracturing alliances within California’s vibrant South Asian diaspora.”
Grassroots organizations such as the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) launched sustained campaigns—organizing protests, circulating petitions, and hosting community forums—in an effort to stop the bill’s advance in Sacramento. Despite their determined mobilization, the bill continued to gain traction, underscoring the difficulty of challenging bipartisan support without direct access to executive power.
The bill passed the state legislature but was ultimately vetoed by the Governor. In a statement, the Governor explained that the matter would be more effectively handled through administrative processes in coordination with federal agencies. He noted that, in the absence of a consistent federal definition, the bill would limit the state’s flexibility and could lead to future inconsistencies in its implementation.
The veto was welcomed by critics of the Bill. Bhutoria added,”His veto of SB 509 preserves our harmony, ensuring that we build bridges rather than barriers among diaspora communities.”
However, the organization Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) stated that, “By allowing bad-faith actors to shape the narrative, this veto empowers those who seek to silence critics, weaken democratic safeguards, and divide immigrant communities already under threat from foreign interference.” They added that organizations like theirs, across the United States, including activists, journalists, students, and faith-based advocates, especially those from immigrant communities, have faced harassment and intimidation for speaking against foreign authoritarian governments abroad. By vetoing SB 509, said HfHR, California missed a crucial opportunity to stand up to foreign governments that target immigrant communities and silence dissent.