California Assemblymember Mia Bonta, wife of Attorney General Rob Bonta, has introduced Assembly Bill 15 (AB 15)—a controversial piece of legislation that would prohibit prison officials from notifying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when convicted criminals, including those guilty of heinous crimes like child molestation, child murder, and sex trafficking, are released from prison.

The bill asserts that when California’s jails and prisons voluntarily transfer immigrants eligible for release to ICE for detention and deportation, these individuals experience what the bill describes as “double punishment and further trauma.” Specifically, AB 15 states:

“The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) shall not detain on the basis of a hold request, provide an immigration authority with release date information, or respond to a notification request, transfer to an immigration authority, or facilitate or assist with a transfer request any individual who is eligible for release.”

Despite the progressive push for AB 15, Governor Gavin Newsom has threatened to veto the bill, signaling concerns over its potential consequences. This bill blocks all state prison cooperation with ICE, including in cases involving violent and sex-related crimes.

While Newsom has publicly expressed hesitation, Attorney General Rob Bonta has remained notably silent. Given his wife’s sponsorship of the bill and his role as the state’s top law enforcement official, his lack of response has raised eyebrows among supporters and critics of the legislation.