California Supreme Court Chief Justice Addresses Immigration Enforcement in Courthouses
California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero has announced an initiative to maintain access to the judicial system amid continued federal immigration enforcement actions in courthouses. Her remarks were delivered during a press conference on Thursday, where she voiced concerns over the “chilling effects” of these enforcement activities.
Guerrero, who is the first Latina to hold the position of Chief Justice, highlighted that the Judicial Council is actively monitoring the situation. “The type of immigration enforcement action that we’ve seen instills fear in witnesses, litigants that creates problems for them being able to access the courts,” she noted.
Under the Biden administration, immigration arrests in courthouses were largely halted to encourage participation in the judicial process. However, this policy shifted with the Trump administration, which permitted federal agents to conduct arrests in and around courthouse premises.
Data from Guerrero’s office indicates that immigration enforcement incidents have occurred in 17 courthouses throughout California, with Shasta County’s Superior Court reporting the highest instances. Though the data collection has been informal to this point, the Judicial Council plans to propose formalization on April 24. This would involve regular submissions of civil arrest data from superior courthouses to the Judicial Council.
The Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee and Court Executives Advisory Committee stated in their proposal that such a measure “will help ensure consistent and coordinated statewide collection and reporting of data to better assess broader implications for access to justice.”
Information gathered from this monitoring effort is shared with the attorney general’s office to prepare for possible future actions. Guerrero emphasized the practical approach, saying, “The president is not going to listen to me if I try to tell him what to do, so what really is the point of that?” She added, “I’m less interested in making statements, trying to tell people what they’re doing wrong, and instead trying to find a way forward so that our courts are informed — that we are available.”
In an effort to bolster state court authority, Guerrero suggested exploring remote hearings, educating court staff about their legal rights, and connecting the public with resources for additional legal remedies.
In parallel legislative efforts, California Democratic senators have introduced measures aimed at enhancing courthouse protections. Sen. Susan Rubio proposed a bill to allow remote appearances for most civil and criminal proceedings until January 2029. Another bill by Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes seeks to restrict federal immigration agents from conducting “unannounced and indiscriminate” arrests in courthouses.
This story was originally published by CalMatters and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
