New California Laws Shield Schools and Hospitals From ICE Raids

 A package of new California laws taking effect January 1, 2026, will make the state the first in the nation to ban masked immigration agents and require schools and hospitals to bar federal officers from entering nonpublic areas without a judge’s warrant.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed the measures last week, framing them as essential safeguards against what he called “secret police tactics” that erode community trust and undermine constitutional protections.

What the Laws Do

The new statutes, passed in response to a series of aggressive immigration enforcement actions across California, include three major provisions:

• Schools: Must notify families of any federal immigration requests and cannot allow ICE access to classrooms, offices, or other nonpublic areas without a judicial warrant.

• Healthcare: Hospitals and clinics are prohibited from sharing patient information or granting access to treatment or intake areas without a court order.

• Identification: Federal immigration officers operating in plainclothes must display agency identification and badge numbers. Masks and face coverings that obscure identity are prohibited.

Local Implications

For Long Beach — a city where ICE raids at workplaces, car washes, and apartment complexes have repeatedly sparked outrage — the laws represent a major shift in how local agencies must interact with federal immigration authorities.

Schools in the Long Beach Unified School District will be required to treat campuses as protected spaces, while hospitals such as Long Beach Memorial and St. Mary Medical Centermust update intake and security protocols to ensure compliance.

Civil rights attorney Marc Coleman said the changes are long overdue:

“These laws give communities like Long Beach powerful new tools to protect residents from the illegal conduct and sheer brutality of ICE raids. For months we’ve seen ICE agents act with impunity — disappearing people, detaining citizens, and forcing hard-working immigrants to lie face down at gunpoint. The Trump administration knows it cannot deport millions lawfully, so it is resorting to fear and terror. Starting in 2026, these measures may at least force ICE to act within the law.”

Call for Local Enforcement

Under the legislation, local police and prosecutors are explicitly empowered to investigate and charge violations when federal agents operate outside legal boundaries — even if those agents are acting under federal authority. Whether those charges would ultimately withstand federal supremacy challenges remains uncertain.

Coleman said Long Beach should not wait for state or federal guidance before acting:

“The LBPD and the District Attorney don’t have to wait for Sacramento to tell them what to do. If agents trespass in a school or intimidate patients in a hospital, that’s a state crime. Long Beach can and should implement an interdiction protocol so that instead of standing down when local police get a call for a kidnapping in progress, LBPD can, at a minimum, demand proper identification and a lawful warrant.”

Police and Prosecutor Responses: Limited Clarity

To assess how prepared Long Beach is to enforce the new laws, The Beachcomber submitted formal press inquiries to both the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) and the City Prosecutor’s Office.

LBPD Media Relations Inquiry:

The Beachcomber asked how the department is preparing to train officers on the new statutes, whether it will commit todocumenting and investigating violations, and what guidance has been provided to schools, hospitals, or community partners.

LBPD PIO Officer Eric Stachura responded: “The Long Beach Police Department is awaiting guidance from the California Department of Justice and will work with agency partners to determine best practices.”

City Prosecutor Inquiry:

The Beachcomber asked whether the city prosecutor intends to pursue charges against federal agents if evidence supports violations, what role the office will play in protecting schools and hospitals, and whether protocols will be established with LBPD.

Response: The City Prosecutor’s Office did not acknowledge receipt of the request and did not respond prior to publication.

Questions for the District Attorney

To understand how county prosecutors might approach enforcement, The Beachcomber also posed questions to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Inquiry to DA Media Relations, Greg Risling:

1. How does your office plan to interpret and enforce these laws when violations occur in Los Angeles County, including Long Beach?

2. Will the DA’s Office commit to pursuing state-level prosecutions if evidence shows federal agents engaged in unlawful trespass, assault, or detention under these new statutes?

3. Do you anticipate legal challenges from the federal government, and if so, how is your office preparing?

Risling’s response: “It’s unclear at this time if a case would be presented to our office for filing consideration.” When pressed for clarification — specifically whether the DA would prosecute if evidence met the elements of the new law — Risling replied: “We are not going to comment further at this time.”

Coleman said that response raises serious concerns:

“The DA’s refusal to commit tells the public nothing about whether these laws will actually be enforced. If a teacher or doctor reports trespass by federal agents, and the DA shrugs, it’s not just prosecutorial discretion — it’s prosecutorial abdication. Federal supremacy does not give agents a blank check to break state law. If they commit battery, trespass, or kidnapping, the state has jurisdiction and the DA has a duty to act.”

What Comes Next

With the laws set to take effect in just over three months, Long Beach officials face growing pressure to prepare. Advocates say the next steps are clear:

• LBPD must train officers to recognize violations and investigate when they occur.

• City prosecutors must signal that they are prepared to enforce the law.

• Schools and hospitals need clear reporting protocols to ensure that any ICE violations are documented and prosecuted.

So far, neither police nor prosecutors have offered concrete plans.

Coleman summed up the challenge ahead: “January 1st is coming. The question is simple: Will Long Beach use its lawful power to protect its residents — or will it continue to stand down?”

Stephen Downing is a resident of Long Beach and a retired LAPD deputy chief of police.

Editor’s Note: Because the Long Beach Police Department stated it is “awaiting guidance from the California Department of Justice” regarding enforcement of the new state laws restricting ICE operations — and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office offered no clarity on its enforcement approach — The Beachcomber has submitted a formal inquiry to Attorney General Rob Bonta asking whether his office or the POST Commission will issue statewide guidelines before the laws take effect. This story will be updated pending any response.