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MEDIA ADVISORY What: Online Press Briefing on SB 509 – California’s Response to Transnational Repression RSVP Required for Press and Legislative Staff |
PRESS BRIEFING: California Communities Call for Urgent Action on Foreign Intimidation Ahead of Assembly Vote on SB 509 |
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Overview: Residents across California have been harassed, surveilled, and intimidated by agents of foreign governments—often in broad daylight and in full view of local authorities. These acts of transnational repression threaten public safety, undermine civil liberties, and disproportionately target communities who speak out against authoritarian regimes. SB 509 would ensure that California’s law enforcement agencies are trained to identify, contextualize, and respond to foreign governments’ targeting of residents. SB 509 was introduced by Senator Anna Caballero and co-authored by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains and Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria. The bill passed through the California Senate with bipartisan support by a vote of 38-0; it will be voted on during the suspense hearing this week and is expected to go to a full Assembly vote shortly after. This press briefing will bring together voices from across California to highlight why this bill matters now, share firsthand accounts of foreign political intimidation, and call on lawmakers to take urgent action to close a dangerous gap in California’s public safety system. Who: 1. Elisa Rivera, Director of Communications for Senator Anna Caballero Staffer (D–Salinas) – Author of SB 509 2. Kashmir Singh Shahi, a Sikh community leader and member of the Fremont Gurdwara Sahib 3. [TBD Law Enforcement Official] – On why training is essential to protect California communities 4. Hamid Panah, Advocacy Director of Immigrant Defense Fund, and an individual whose family has been targeted by a foreign government Why This Matters for California: Transnational repression is already happening here. From Chinese dissidents in San Francisco to Sikh activists across the state, California residents are being targeted by foreign regimes for their speech and identities. Local law enforcement is often the first—and only—line of defense. Without the right training, officers may overlook, misinterpret, or dismiss serious coordinated threats. The training created by SB 509 will be shaped by professionals in CalOES and POST. SB 509 doesn’t increase police power—it increases awareness. Like domestic violence or human trafficking training, this bill equips officers to recognize complex patterns of abuse and act appropriately. It does not create any new criminalization or provide for any sentence enhancements. ### |