OAKLAND, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced his sponsorship of Senate Bill 1399, legislation aimed at extending transparency and oversight of immigration detention facilities across the state, as the measure advances through the Legislature amid heightened scrutiny of detention practices.
In a press release, Bonta said Senate Bill 1399, authored by state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo and co-sponsored by Immigrant Defense Advocates, recently advanced out of committee, marking a significant step toward potential passage.
This movement through the legislative process comes at a time when immigration detention practices are facing heightened scrutiny from both state officials and advocacy groups.
If passed, SB 1399 could reinforce California’s role in monitoring detention conditions, even as the facilities operate under federal authority.
According to the California Department of Justice, if passed, SB 1399 would remove the 2027 sunset provision established under Assembly Bill 103, allowing the Department of Justice to continue indefinitely its inspections and public reporting on conditions within immigration detention facilities.
The removal of the sunset clause would transform what was a time-limited oversight strategy into a permanent feature of California’s approach to immigration detention accountability.
Furthermore, AB 103, enacted in 2017, requires the Department of Justice to review and document conditions of confinement, standards of care and due process protections for individuals held in civil immigration detention.
These reports and reviews have been used as a tool for public awareness and policy advocacy.
Under current law, these reporting requirements are set to expire on July 1, 2027.
By extending these requirements indefinitely, SB 1399 seeks to preserve and institutionalize this framework that many see as essential for holding detention facilities accountable.
In a statement, Bonta emphasized the importance of maintaining oversight, particularly in light of increased federal immigration enforcement.
He noted that Department of Justice inspections and reports have previously identified “inhumane and substandard conditions” in facilities across California and warned that such issues could worsen amid expanded detention efforts.
Durazo reflected these concerns, stating that the bill is intended to preserve public accountability and ensure that detention conditions remain visible to both lawmakers and the public.
She described transparency as essential to upholding the dignity of individuals held in these facilities.
Advocates also posited the legislation as a critical accountability measure.
Hamid Yazdan Panah, co-executive director of Immigrant Defense Advocates, said continued reporting would help expose conditions within private, for-profit detention centers and safeguard the health and safety of detained individuals.
The Department of Justice has already produced multiple reports under AB 103.
Its most recent findings identified ongoing deficiencies in care and raised concerns that conditions could deteriorate further with increased immigration enforcement.
In addition to these reports, Bonta has recently taken other actions addressing detention conditions.
These include filing an amicus brief opposing conditions at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center and sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security highlighting concerns about the California City Detention Facility.
Supporters of SB 1399 argue that without legislative action, the expiration of AB 103 would eliminate one of the state’s primary mechanisms for monitoring immigration detention conditions.
They contend that extending oversight is necessary to ensure continued transparency and accountability in a system that largely operates outside public view.
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