Protect Trust in California’s Schools and Police by Supporting AB 1627 (MELT ICE)

The MELT ICE Act would bar former ICE agents from teaching and policing roles, citing public safety, student trust, and documented harms to immigrant communities

Why This Matters Now
California is at a critical moment in deciding who is entrusted with authority in classrooms and local law enforcement. Assembly Bill 1627 addresses a question many families quietly live with every day: can public institutions truly serve communities when those institutions carry the history and fear of immigration enforcement into schools and police departments? With a committee hearing scheduled for February 26, 2026, lawmakers are preparing to decide whether California will prioritize trust, safety, and participation in civic life for millions of residents.

What’s Happening
AB 1627, formally titled the Misconduct Ends Law-Enforcement Trust (MELT ICE) Act, was introduced in January 2026 by Assemblymember Anamarie Avila-Farias (D-Martinez). The bill would prohibit individuals who worked for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement between September 1, 2025, and January 20, 2029 from being employed as California police officers, teachers, or public-school administrators.
The measure requires background checks by the California Department of Justice and the California Department of Education to identify prior ICE employment. It also applies similar restrictions to former employees of the Alabama and Georgia Departments of Corrections from 2020 to 2026, referencing findings from the U.S. Department of Justice and reporting by The New York Times documenting civil rights violations, deaths in custody, and systemic failures in those facilities.

Community Impact
Public trust is not abstract. A 2023 report by the UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy found that visible cooperation between local institutions and immigration enforcement reduces crime reporting in Latino communities, including among U.S. citizens. When families fear that contact with teachers or police could expose them or loved ones to immigration consequences, students disengage, witnesses stay silent, and public safety suffers. Educators have also raised concerns that students from mixed-status families are less likely to seek help or fully participate in school environments they perceive as unsafe.

We urge California decision-makers to:

1. Advance AB 1627 through committee and floor votes without weakening its core protections.

2. Ensure transparent, standardized background checks by the Department of Justice and Department of Education.

3. Reaffirm California’s existing laws, including the California Values Act, that limit entanglement with federal immigration enforcement.

These actions fall squarely within the authority of the California Legislature and relevant state agencies.

Why Public Support Matters
Petition signatures demonstrate that voters are paying attention and expect accountability. Public support strengthens legislative oversight and reinforces that policies affecting trust in schools and policing deserve careful, evidence-based consideration.

Call to Action
Sign this petition to support AB 1627 and responsible public governance. Share it with neighbors, educators, and community leaders. Stay informed as California lawmakers decide how to protect public trust — not just in law, but in everyday life.