Washington, D.C. — Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Adriano Espaillat met to discuss a unified strategy to safeguard the civil rights and liberties of Latino communities in California and across the country. The discussion comes at a moment of heightened fear for working class Latino families as President Trump’s immigration policies and public statements fuel concerns about mass deportations and government overreach.
The meeting underscored the urgent need for closer coordination between Congress and California’s executive leadership. Governor Newsom — in Washington, D.C., to advocate for federal aid for Los Angeles’ recovery — stressed his commitment to working hand in hand with the CHC to defend civil rights, strengthen affordability for families under pressure, and push back against federal actions that place Latino communities at risk. Chairman Espaillat outlined core CHC priorities and accomplishments, including stopping airlines from selling passenger data to DHS and CBP, strengthening data privacy protections to curb abuses of power, and addressing the worsening healthcare crisis driven by Republican attacks on coverage and affordability.
Chairman Espaillat reaffirmed support for the lawsuit led by Members of Congress challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s unlawful denial of congressional access to immigration detention facilities.
The conversation highlighted upcoming accountability efforts, including the CHC’s Immigration Court Month of Action now underway and the Chairman’s ten point plan to protect immigrant families. Leaders also discussed California’s civil rights reporting portal, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as a model for documenting violations and holding bad actors accountable.
The CHC and Governor Newsom committed to sustained coordination as Latino communities brace for intensified federal enforcement and the cascading effects of anti-immigrant rhetoric.
About the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC)
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is 43 members strong. The CHC serves as a forum for the Hispanic Members of Congress to coalesce around a collective legislative agenda. The Caucus is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. For more information, please visit chc.house.gov.
