A Department of Homeland Security officer near a Customs and Border Protection officer stand outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, June 12, 2025. (Sinna Nasseri/The New York Times/File)
- Six Republicans in the California Legislature want President Trump to use a scalpel instead of a blunt instrument during immigration sweeps.
- They wrote a letter to the president stating "recent ICE workplace raids ... have led to unintended consequences that are harming the communities that we represent."
- Lawmakers want ICE to focus on undocumented residents with violent criminal histories and leave law-abiding immigrants alone.
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Six Republicans in the California Legislature, including Minority Leader Brian Jones of San Diego, are urging President Donald Trump to use a scalpel rather than a blunt instrument in carrying out immigration sweeps.
The GOP sextet wrote a letter to the president on Friday stating that “recent ICE workplace raids on farms, at construction sites, and in restaurants and hotels have led to unintended consequences that are harming the communities that we represent and the businesses that employ our constituents.
“We have heard from employers in our districts that recent ICE raids are not only targeting undocumented workers, but also creating widespread fear among other employees, including those with legal immigration status. This fear is driving vital workers out of critical industries, taking California’s affordability crisis and making it even worse for our constituents.”
The lawmakers prefaced those remarks by stating they support the rule of law and the administration’s efforts “to identify, detain, and deport violent criminals.”
Signing the letter were Sens. Jones, Suzette Valladares of Santa Clarita, and Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh of Redlands, along with Assemblymembers Diane Dixon of Newport Beach, Laurie Davies of Oceanside, and Heath Flora of Ripon.
Last month, Reuters reported that ICE arrests of migrants with no criminal charges had jumped 800% since Trump took office, according to unpublished government data.
Republicans Urge Immigration Reform
In their letter to the president, the six California Republicans also urged him to take up comprehensive immigration reform.
“We also call on your leadership to modernize our immigration process to allow non-criminal undocumented immigrants with longstanding ties to our communities a path toward legal status,” they stated. “America needs a system that reflects both compassion and lawfulness — one that upholds sovereignty while recognizing the reality on the ground.”
They also urged expansion and reform of visa programs to allow more guest workers into the country.
“From construction to hospitality to food processing, California’s employers are struggling to fill positions. Legal, temporary labor should be easier to access and better tailored to support a strong California economy.”
Related Story: A Path Forward on Immigration Reform That Strengthens America
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