Amid mass raids, hate crimes, and legal threats, California remains one of the strongest bulwarks against Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. Through court battles and state legislation, the state leads an unprecedented institutional and social resistance.
Raids, Repression, and Covert Operations
Amid mass immigration raids, hate crimes, and legal threats, California remains one of the strongest bulwarks against Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. Through strategic litigation and state legislation, the state leads an unprecedented institutional and social resistance.
Since his first term in office, Trump has maintained a combative relationship with California. With its large immigrant population and protective laws, the state has long been a target of the former president’s hardline immigration policies. That tension has produced some of the most dramatic episodes in recent U.S. political history—such as the largest single-day protest in the country’s history, sparked by mass raids in Los Angeles. The situation escalated further with the deployment of the National Guard and the presence of unidentified federal agents on the streets—an image that many said resembled a foreign occupation more than a domestic policy dispute.
These actions ignited national outrage and highlighted what many advocates see as systemic civil rights violations. Jeannette Zanipatin, Policy Director at CHIRLA, warned: “People have been detained outside courthouses, lawyers have been blocked from seeing their clients, and arrests have been made during routine immigration interviews. We’ve documented covert operations involving masked agents, altered badges, and unmarked vehicles funded by federal dollars.” CHIRLA’s rapid response teams have compiled extensive evidence of these cases, which often involve federal agents brought in from other states. Even elected officials have reportedly been denied entry into detention centers, raising alarm about transparency and due process.
But the assault goes beyond detention centers and the streets. Henry Brady, a political science professor at UC Berkeley, has called the situation “nothing less than institutional sabotage.” According to him, the Trump administration’s efforts not only targeted California’s immigration policies but also its broader economic and social infrastructure—including ports, agriculture, public universities, and healthcare systems. A report by the Bay Area Council estimates that the economic fallout from these federal policies could cost the state up to $275 billion in the long term. “This is not just economic damage,” Brady asserts. “It’s a cultural offensive aimed at dismantling California’s identity as a beacon of diversity and inclusion.”
A State That Refuses to Be Silenced
Faced with this assault, California has launched one of the most aggressive legal responses in its history. In just 23 weeks, State Attorney General Rob Bonta filed 26 lawsuits against Trump, covering issues ranging from birthright citizenship and voter suppression to the misuse of federal funds and the militarization of urban areas. Bonta has also sounded the alarm on rising hate crimes and what he describes as covert collaboration between federal agencies and private militias.
“No one is above the law—not even the president. Our job is to protect 39 million Californians from illegal and arbitrary actions,” said Bonta. Despite the intensity of the fight, he emphasizes that the state is well-resourced and fully committed to defending its people in court.
But resistance isn’t confined to courtrooms. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sees this moment as a turning point with deep political potential. “Even in traditionally conservative places like Bakersfield, people are beginning to respond when they hear the stories of gardeners, domestic workers, or caregivers being unfairly targeted. That awareness can become real social and political change,” he said. For Villaraigosa, the fight is not just moral or legal—it’s cultural.
The media has also become a vital ally in this struggle. Bonta insists: “Without you, the people won’t know what’s being done in their name. And without a free press, there is no democracy.” Journalists and media organizations have played a key role in documenting abuses, amplifying voices, and holding power to account.
California refuses to be silenced. In the face of federal aggression, the state is not only defending itself—it is building. Through its courts, its streets, and its newsrooms, California is actively shaping a model of resistance rooted in justice, inclusion, and the fundamental right to belong.