Transcript Highlights:

• The first is the ongoing challenges of California's undocumented and immigrant families.
• Our undocumented and Dreamer students are scared. They are truly scared.
• Our undocumented and dreamer students are scared. They are truly scared.
• Justice-impacted students, foster youth, undocumented students—you name it.
• Undocumented, mixed-status, and international students are particularly affected.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee held an oversight hearing on how federal actions are affecting California higher education, with opening remarks from the chair and members emphasizing the importance of state-federal shared governance and the need to protect access, affordability, and campus diversity. The first panel included leaders from the CSU, University of the Pacific, California Community Colleges, and UC, who described broad impacts from federal grant terminations, changes to student aid, loan limits, visa and immigration policy, and proposed reductions to research support. Testimony focused on the elimination of Grad PLUS loans, caps on Parent PLUS and Pell-related changes, the loss or suspension of hundreds of grants, and the resulting harm to student support services, research, workforce pipelines, food assistance, and health care training. UC and CSU representatives warned of major losses in research funding, indirect cost reimbursement, and student opportunities, while community college leaders highlighted uncertainty around federal grants and the need to maintain services for low-income, first-generation, undocumented, and other vulnerable students. Committee members asked how the state could respond, including through intersegmental partnerships, dual enrollment, transfer pathways, and support for basic needs and nutrition programs. Witnesses said California could help by sustaining financial aid, protecting minority-serving institution programs, and investing in research, housing, and workforce development. Several speakers stressed that federal changes were creating instability for students and campuses, and that the effects would likely be long-lasting, especially in health care, teaching, STEM, and social work pipelines. A second panel then focused on equitable access. The California Student Aid Commission described state efforts such as the $3.9 billion investment in aid programs, the Cal Grant system, the Dream Act, and possible reforms to better serve adult learners, foster youth, undocumented students, and students with dependents. The Los Angeles Community College District reported that federal cuts and policy shifts are discouraging students from applying for aid, threatening TRIO and MSI/HSI-funded services, and reducing support for basic needs, counseling, and workforce programs. The Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and the CSU Academic Senate echoed concerns about FAFSA confusion, international student restrictions, grant losses, and the erosion of equity-focused programs. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and discussed possible state responses.

Transcript Highlights:

• He has referred to undocumented immigrants as animals.
• My father came to this country undocumented, so did my mother, so did my five siblings.
• I stand before you as a formerly deported undocumented immigrant. Coming to this country.
• As a daughter of immigrant farm workers who came to this country also undocumented.
• You'll feel proud of the work that they do for undocumented folks.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My final question is: what about repealing in-state tuition for undocumented students makes Floridians
• folks. to Florida by offering in-state tuition for undocumented folks.
• Just because we're on the topic of numbers, do we have any idea how many undocumented immigrants are
• The benefits of providing these fee waivers to students who are undocumented, and the qualitative and
• This law that offers in-state tuition for undocumented students has impacted our state.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee took up SB 2B, a major immigration bill by Senator Gruters, described by supporters as a Trump-aligned package to strengthen Florida’s role in immigration enforcement. The bill would create a grant program for local law enforcement, expand jail-ICE agreements beyond sheriff-operated jails, establish a chief immigration officer and a state immigration enforcement council, require more coordination on E-Verify and detention-bed reporting, allow immigration status to be considered in bail decisions, increase penalties for certain offenses tied to illegal reentry and voting, and repeal in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. Much of the sponsor’s presentation and debate emphasized focusing on criminal offenders, improving coordination with federal authorities, and using state resources to support detention and enforcement. Committee questioning focused heavily on the tuition-waiver repeal, reimbursement for jail costs, E-Verify coverage, and whether the bill could lead to street-level immigration enforcement in schools or churches. Senator Smith, Senator Pizzo, Senator Polsky, Senator Sharief, and others challenged the tuition repeal as unfair to students who were brought to Florida as children and argued for grandfathering current students or studying the fiscal impact first. Senator Fine defended the repeal as ending a state subsidy for people who are not lawfully present and argued the change would save tens of millions of dollars. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri testified that the bill was limited to jail-based enforcement, said there was no current street-level 287(g) program in Florida, and stated he did not believe the bill raised concerns for law enforcement or schools/churches. A representative of the Florida Supervisors of Elections supported the voting-related section, while a Florida Highway Patrol representative said state agencies would need additional funding if they were expected to take on more enforcement duties. The committee adopted Senator Gruters’ late-filed amendment correcting a drafting error. Senator Smith’s amendment to require an OPAGA study on the tuition-waiver policy was withdrawn after discussion, and his handwritten amendment to delete the repeal of in-state tuition for undocumented students failed on a roll-call vote. The bill then advanced as amended, with several members speaking in debate both for and against it. Supporters framed it as a focused public-safety and enforcement measure; opponents criticized the special-session process, the cost, and the tuition repeal’s impact on students already enrolled.

Transcript Highlights:

• Undocumented Californians contribute $8.5 billion in taxes to state and local communities.
• And they will certainly not be able to distinguish between a child who is brown, Latino, undocumented
• We are talking about unseen, undocumented individuals, and yet we make winners and losers.
• You know, I came here as an undocumented child at three years old.
• Nearly 11 million Californians are immigrants, and 2.7 million are undocumented.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides state-funded student loans to undocumented students who qualify under the California Dream
• Undocumented students don’t have any…” “Undocumented students don’t have any access to federal loans,
• “It’s illegal under federal law for an undocumented person to work.” “Not at their DACA eligible.
• And I don’t know that just giving out debt to undocumented students is really a good idea.
• So in California, we've opened up the CADA to both mixed-status families and undocumented.

Summary: The committee first adopted its 2025-26 rules on a 7-0 roll call, then approved three consent items—AB 88, AB 240, and AB 313—on a due-pass motion to Appropriations. The hearing then moved to AB 648, which would give community college districts the same zoning authority as the UC and CSU systems to build student and staff housing on property they own or lease. The author and supporters argued the bill would help address severe housing insecurity and homelessness among community college students, while opponents and some members raised concerns about local control, zoning exemptions, and the impact on nearby communities. AB 648 passed the committee on a 5-2 vote and was sent to the Local Government Committee. The committee next heard AB 466, which would require California Community Colleges and CSU campuses to provide organ and tissue donor registry information during student orientation, and request UC campuses to do the same. Supporters shared personal stories about transplants and donation, saying college orientation is a good opportunity to increase registrations. Some members worried about information overload during orientation and suggested campuses have flexibility in how they present the material, but the bill advanced on a unanimous 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 326 followed, proposing campus-by-campus external audits of the CSU every three years and public release of the audits. The author, faculty supporters, and a student argued that systemwide audits do not provide enough transparency about how money is spent at individual campuses, citing examples of financial mismanagement and fee increases. CSU opposed the bill, saying it already conducts annual consolidated external audits and that campus-level audits would add cost without added benefit. After extensive discussion about transparency, audit scope, and implementation, the bill passed 6-1 to Appropriations. The committee then took up AB 335, which would create a California Black-Serving Institution Grant Program to support Black student success and broader underserved student services; supporters emphasized persistent equity gaps and low completion rates, while an opponent argued the bill needed to be carefully amended to comply with Proposition 209 and equal protection requirements. The transcript ends during that item’s discussion, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• One in ten workers in our state is undocumented, and they contribute more than $8.5 billion annually
• One in every 10 workers in this state is an undocumented immigrant.
• This resolution, ...millions of undocumented immigrants who have made California their home.
• Nearly one in ten workers in our state are undocumented.
• Nearly one in ten workers in our state are undocumented.

Summary: The Assembly met on July 17, 2025, after a quorum call and prayer, then moved through a long ceremonial and floor session. The chamber recognized the 2025 Science and Technology Policy Fellows, the 2024-25 Jesse Marvin Unruh Assembly Fellows, and the 2025 Assembly Fellows, and also heard guest introductions honoring Brad Webb of Legislative Counsel, youth advocates supporting AB 1231, the Live Oak Lady Lions softball team, the new UC President J.B. Milliken, the Rohnert Park 11-and-under Cal Ripken All-Star team, and arts leaders from Auburn. The Assembly also took up several procedural motions, including removing some bills from the consent calendar and noting absences. On the floor, members adopted ACR 12 designating November 1 as Fernando Valenzuela Day, with broad support and 66 co-authors, and later adopted H.R. 56 recognizing August 2025 as Chicano Heritage Month, with 65 co-authors. The Assembly also adopted ACR 101 naming a portion of State Highway Route 46 the James Dean Memorial Highway, and H.R. 50 proclaiming November 25, 2025, as Elimination of Violence Against Women Day, with members emphasizing survivor support and prevention. In each case, authors and supporters highlighted the cultural, historical, or public-safety significance of the measures. The chamber also concurred in Senate amendments on several bills, including AB 359 on the Political Reform Act, AB 594 on student health insurance protections, AB 1085 banning license plate obstruction devices and penalizing sellers, AB 1286 on public employment transparency, and AB 1505, the Agriculture Committee omnibus bill. AJR 14, urging federal attention to the impact of tariffs on California ports, passed 44-1 after debate over trade policy and port jobs. AJR 17, calling for modernization of immigration law and a pathway to lawful status for long-term undocumented residents, passed 47-7 after extensive debate focused on immigrant families, the economy, and federal enforcement actions. The Assembly also adopted the resolutions by voice vote where required and recorded the roll-call results for the joint resolutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:18:33.520> I considered an undocumented person. I considered an undocumented person.
• be an undocumented person? be an undocumented person? Representative<01:19:44.960> Rhymer.
• who would be considered undocumented who would be considered undocumented under<01:20:54.239>
• immigration including undocumented immigration including undocumented immigration<01:43:46.239><
• with large increas cases in undocumented with large increas cases in undocumented immigrants<01:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Undocumented community. And what I don't forget is my lived experience.
• But before that, she was undocumented.
• Chair and colleagues, I think of my mom, who was once undocumented.
• We talk about the undocumented people and their impacts on our system.
• This is a new cost burden on on undocumented Medi-Cal recipients.

Summary: The Assembly met on June 4, 2025, first establishing a quorum and then moving through a long budget and concurrence session. After procedural motions, the house took up several budget trailer bills and related measures presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. SB 103, a technical budget cleanup bill addressing the Public School System Stabilization Account, a CDCR shortfall, and Middle Class Scholarship funding, passed 52-16. SB 120 on child care and preschool funding passed 65-1; SB 124 on natural resources and wildfire response passed 69-1; SB 127 on climate change and zero-emission transportation passed 53-17; SB 128 on transportation and DMV/LA Olympics implementation passed 53-17; SB 132 on taxation, veterans, wildfire settlements, film tax credits, and housing passed 64-1; SB 141 on cannabis enforcement and illicit market suppression passed 71-1; and SB 142 extending the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program passed 68-1 on both urgency and the measure. The Assembly also approved a motion to re-refer several bills to committees and later suspended rules to take up Senate-amended bills without reference to file. The chamber then considered AB 102, the main budget bill reflecting the final three-party agreement with the Governor. Supporters said it balanced compassion and fiscal responsibility while preserving housing, health care, child care, education, wildfire resilience, and public safety funding. Opponents criticized it for unsustainable spending, insufficient Prop. 36 funding, and other omissions. After extended debate, the Assembly concurred in the Senate amendments by a 55-16 vote and sent the bill to the Governor. The Assembly then concurred in Senate amendments to AB 116 on health care, AB 118 on human services, AB 121 on TK-12 education, AB 123 on higher education, AB 134 on public safety, AB 136 on courts, AB 137 on general government, and AB 143 on developmental services, with each bill passing on largely party-line or broad bipartisan votes. Debate on AB 116 focused on Medi-Cal, HIV program backfills, pharmacy benefit managers, and health care cuts; opponents objected to funding for undocumented immigrants and to hospice prior authorization. AB 118 drew support for child welfare, CalFresh disaster readiness, and CalWORKs simplification. AB 121 emphasized record K-12 funding and a $1.7 billion block grant. AB 123 extended the Golden State Teacher Grant Program and supported higher education and fire-impacted career technical education. AB 134 updated CDCR and tribal policing provisions, AB 136 streamlined court reporting and funded courthouse facilities, AB 137 made technical budget adjustments and fee changes, and AB 143 made developmental services reforms while preserving the state’s entitlement commitment. The final item shown was AB 470 on telecommunications, which was presented and discussed as a transition away from copper landlines toward fiber and modern networks, with supporters emphasizing public benefits and labor concerns, but the transcript cuts off before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• My mother, who I lost five years ago this August, was once undocumented.
• But before that she was undocumented.
• Chair and colleagues, I think of my mom, who was once undocumented.
• From undocumented to a citizen, this beautiful country gave her that opportunity.
• We talk about undocumented people and their impacts on our system.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the people released from custody, an undocumented alien, is charged with murdering 19-year-old
• One of the people released from custody, an undocumented alien, is charged with murdering 19-year-old
• They call them undocumented immigrants. That’s what they do.
• <00:52:42.119> undocumented<00:52:42.799> immigrants<00:52:43.799> that's undocu
• undocumented immigrants that's undocu undocumented immigrants that's what<00:52:44.200> they

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The staff and the designated Dreamer resource liaison at the institution will assist undocumented students
• system wide policy that addresses course grade administrative withdrawals and re-enrollment for undocumented
• In an environment where the current Federal Administration has committed to mass deportations undocumented
• While all undocumented students fluctuating immigration policies that may jeopardize their academic pursuits
• We can help ensure that undocumented students can thrive and achieve their dreams despite the challenges

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's not just undocumented.
• <00:22:55.360> uh has uh vowed to deport undocumented uh has uh vowed to deport undocumented
• <00:23:17.919> have as well those who are undocumented have as well those who are undocumented
• So, it's not just undocumented. undocumented. undocumented.
• macro sense of u having undocumented macro sense of u having undocumented people<01:25:23.280>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee held an informational briefing on the impact and legality of federal immigration enforcement efforts in Hawaii, with Chair Carl Rhodes framing it as the sixth and final interim briefing in a series on the rule of law and local effects of federal actions. He said the discussion would focus on due process concerns, questioning and detention of citizens and lawful immigrants, free speech issues, and pressure on state and local law enforcement, and noted the issues may be revisited in the 2026 regular session. There was no public testimony or committee vote; only invited speakers presented. Dr. Amy Agayani opened by arguing that immigrants are integral to Hawaii’s history, economy, and communities, and contrasted that with what she described as harmful narratives portraying immigrants as criminals. She cited figures that one in five Hawaii residents is foreign-born, that immigrants make up about 20% of the labor force and over 27% of entrepreneurs, and that roughly 40,000 people in Hawaii are undocumented, many of whom may have pathways to legal status but face language, information, and court barriers. She also said federal enforcement has expanded beyond undocumented immigrants to include citizens and lawful residents, and warned that attacks on birthright citizenship and visa categories could affect many families. Matina Mock of the legal clinic emphasized the complexity of immigration law and the severe lack of legal representation, noting a nationwide backlog of 11.3 million immigration-related applications and 3.4 million court cases, plus about 1,400 pending immigration cases in Honolulu with only two immigration judges. She said Hawaii has only six or seven nonprofit immigration legal service providers, and that represented clients are far more likely to obtain relief. Mock described a recent case involving a lawful student visa holder who was transferred among multiple federal facilities before being brought to Honolulu without clear notice, which she said illustrated due process violations. She also said ICE activity in Hawaii has sharply increased, with about 150 arrests from January to July 2025, a 380% increase over the same period in 2024, and that many detainees have no criminal record. Stephanie Haro Sevilla and another clinic fellow described 2025 enforcement as a major shift driven by a January executive order, the end of prior limits on arrests in sensitive locations, and arrest quotas they said require 3,000 arrests per day nationwide. They said this has led to arrests without warrants or probable cause, broader targeting of people with minor offenses or no criminal history, and the use of resources from other federal agencies and local law enforcement for civilian immigration enforcement. They also said the federal detention center in Honolulu is holding roughly 40 to 80 civilian detainees on any given day, often in conditions they characterized as prison-like, and warned that the current escalation could eventually affect lawful permanent residents and naturalized citizens. The speakers urged the public to support immigrant-rights advocates and local protective policies and funding measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I've seen in this role firsthand how undocumented students have a special contribution to make to
• And I've seen in this role firsthand how undocumented students have a special contribution to make to
• The current ban on hiring undocumented students for campus employment, research, and paid internship
• Another Cal State LA student who's undocumented and pursuing a bachelor's in social welfare shared that
• Good afternoon, Jesse Hernandez-Jez, on behalf of the California Undocumented Higher Education Coalition

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard a series of Assembly bills, with no formal votes taken because the committee was operating without a quorum and repeatedly noted that motions and votes would occur later when a quorum was present. Several measures drew broad support and no opposition, while others generated both support and opposition testimony on policy and legal grounds. AB 1744, the Clear Labels, Clear Seas Act, would prohibit sunscreen products marketed as reef safe, reef friendly, or similar terms from containing chemical UV filters. The author and student supporters said the bill is a truth-in-labeling measure meant to prevent greenwashing and protect marine ecosystems; Consumer Reports also supported it. No opposition was offered, and senators praised the student advocates. AB 713 would allow undocumented students at UC, CSU, and community colleges to access campus jobs. The author, a law professor, and many student and immigrant-rights organizations supported it, arguing it would reduce exploitation and improve affordability and retention; a few opponents argued it would conflict with federal law. Committee members expressed strong support and personal reflections on the issue. AB 1359 would let people age 80 and older opt out of jury service without a doctor’s note, and supporters said it would reduce burdens on older adults and people with Alzheimer’s or other conditions; there was no opposition. AB 2563 would standardize and clarify definitions of sex discrimination across California codes. Supporters, including women’s rights and reproductive health groups, said it would strengthen and harmonize protections; opponents argued it would blur distinctions between sex and gender identity and create legal conflicts. AB 1705 would require websites hosting sexually explicit content to verify consent for depicted persons before upload; supporters framed it as a response to nonconsensual pornography, while TechNet opposed the bill as overbroad for sites that prohibit such content, though Senator Wiener said he would support it while seeking further privacy-related amendments. The committee also heard AB 1940 on menopause-related workplace protections, with supporters saying it would clarify existing rights and improve workplace awareness, while the Chamber of Commerce opposed expanding the protected-class framework and urged reliance on reasonable accommodation law. AB 1824 would incorporate ICWA and Cal-ICWA protections into the Probate Code to prevent guardianship proceedings from being used to bypass tribal child welfare protections; tribal representatives and advocates strongly supported it and no opposition appeared. AB 2115 would issue a formal legislative apology to California Native peoples for historic state violence and discrimination and place a commemorative plaque at the Capitol; Native leaders and allies supported it, and committee members offered strong remarks in favor. AB 2076 would add nitrous oxide to age-verification restrictions on dangerous online products, prohibit purchase with gift cards or store credit, and increase penalties for large sellers; supporters cited youth misuse and public safety harms, and TechNet/CCIA moved from opposition to neutral. AB 2783 would expand court reporter licensure reciprocity and extend a remote court reporting pilot, with support from court reporters and the Judicial Council and no opposition. AB 1916 would include American Sign Language interpreters in the court interpreter collective bargaining framework; interpreters and disability advocates supported it, while the Judicial Council opposed it, saying the act was designed for spoken-language interpretation and the amendment did not fully resolve implementation concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the definition of "undocumented person" in this bill.
• Are they an undocumented person? Representative Reimer. Thank you, Mr.
• They would be... considered an undocumented person.
• Who would be considered undocumented under this bill?
• Undocumented immigrants were half...

Transcript Highlights:

• the things that you know is going to be a little bit more contentious is that, um, insurance for undocumented
• to make sure people understand, though, that is not ending the ability for those that are here undocumented
• Are any changes to the compromise on undocumented ... was hesitation from the Democrats and was hesitation
• The compromise on undocumented immigrants' health care?
• <00:09:23.600> Is Care for undocumented immigrants. Is Care for undocumented immigrants.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And they're also not the<00:09:11.040> answer<00:09:11.680> for<00:09:12.000> undocumented
• the answer for undocumented the answer for undocumented people.<00:09:14.640> If<00:09:14.959
• To the sons and daughters of undocumented parents who are worrying right now about what's going
• And they said that there were 40,000 undocumented people in Minnesota.
• undocumented um people in Minnesota. undocumented um people in Minnesota.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :47:08.960> receiving<00:47:09.280> the undocumented students are receiving the undocumented
• ,<00:47:19.200> they're because if they're undocumented, they're because if they're undocumented
• That's about an average number. how many um students are undocumented how many um students are undocumented
• It also includes undocumented students.
• students aren't all undocumented students aren't all undocumented students. students. students.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Because being undocumented is not an aggravator, it is a status.
• When you're trying to do right, you came over here, maybe undocumented, but you were young.
• It repeals the fee waiver for undocumented students and prohibits undocumented students from receiving
• We agree we must remove dangerous, undocumented criminal immigrants.
• This bill ensures undocumented people and their families will live in perpetual fear.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Parkland shooting victims, the Pledge of Allegiance, and adoption of the special order report for the day. The chamber then moved into a special-order agenda focused almost entirely on immigration-related measures, beginning with Senate Memorial 6C urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements. The memorial was adopted 85-27 after brief debate, with supporters arguing Florida should help maximize federal immigration enforcement and opponents saying Congress, not the state, should fix immigration policy. The House next took up Senate Bill 4C, an immigration bill creating new state offenses for illegal entry and reentry by adult unauthorized aliens and requiring a mandatory death sentence for an unauthorized alien convicted of a capital felony. Members debated constitutional concerns, due process, racial profiling, fiscal impacts, and whether the bill intruded on federal immigration authority. Several amendments were offered and defeated, including proposals to extend protections to Venezuelans with TPS, to remove the mandatory death penalty, to protect certain long-term immigrant workers and teachers, to expand exemptions for Haitians and humanitarian parole recipients, and to create a task force on best practices for immigration enforcement in schools and other sensitive locations. A final amendment to strip the bill as unconstitutional was also rejected. The bill then passed 85-29. The final measure discussed was Senate Bill 2C, which creates a State Board of Immigration Enforcement led by the Governor and Cabinet, establishes grants and incentive bonuses for local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities, repeals the fee waiver for undocumented students beginning July 1, 2025, and appropriates more than $300 million for immigration enforcement. The sponsor described it as a broad enforcement package, while questions from members focused on the impact on current students who receive in-state tuition and whether the bill would remove incentives for those already enrolled. The transcript ends during that exchange, before final action on SB 2C is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• , staying home due to fear undocumented, staying home due to fear of<00:10:09.279> raids.
• <00:14:38.800> So,<00:14:38.880> I'm undocumented immigrants.
• So, I'm undocumented immigrants.
• <00:15:59.360> He's but he he came here undocumented.
• He's but he he came here undocumented.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: State legislators and farm leaders held an impromptu discussion focused on the impact of federal immigration enforcement activity, especially ICE presence in Minnesota, on agriculture and rural communities. Speakers argued that agriculture is central to the state’s economy and said fear of raids is causing legal immigrant and guest workers, including H-2A workers, to stay home, disrupting farms, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, and other parts of the food supply chain. They also linked the issue to broader federal uncertainty, including USDA funding freezes and cuts, and said the lack of transparency from federal agencies is making it difficult for state officials and producers to plan. Senator Rob Kupec and Minnesota Farmers Union president Gary Wertish said ICE activity in both the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota is creating fear, trauma, and labor shortages, with reports of workers avoiding work, lunch trips, medical appointments, and school. Wertish said the organization supports comprehensive immigration reform and called for an end to the ICE surge, while also emphasizing the need to respect local law enforcement and the rule of law. Deputy Agriculture Commissioner Andrea Vaubel said immigrants are a critical part of Minnesota’s food and agriculture workforce, warned that labor shortages could raise production costs and food prices, and said the state would not have its current food supply without immigrant workers. In response to questions, speakers said they had anecdotal reports from rural areas such as Pelican Rapids, Willmar, and Detroit Lakes, but that the situation is changing quickly and many incidents may not yet be public. They said the lack of coordination with local law enforcement and the use of masks contribute to fear and confusion. Legislators said they have no direct jurisdiction over ICE operations but see their role as documenting what is happening, communicating with constituents, and avoiding state actions that would worsen the problem. They also said the issue is not purely partisan and may be mobilizing concern across political lines, especially among farmers worried about labor availability for planting and other seasonal work.

Transcript Highlights:

• One student said, 'I shouldn't have to compete with other undocumented students for limited spots.'
• I also have undocumented peers, and we strongly support this bill, and undocumented students deserve
• What you call undocumented workers, I consider illegal aliens. It's just different parlance.
• And yes, this includes undocumented students.
• And yes, this includes undocumented students.

Keywords: 987, senate, all