Reform California chairman slams proposal mandating illegal immigrants be hired for taxpayer-funded state jobs

Reform California Chairman Carl DeMaio is blasting an assembly bill that Democrats in the California State Legislature are proposing that will direct the University of California system to begin hiring illegal immigrants for taxpayer-funded state jobs. 

"I have seen a lot of outrageous proposals from California Democrat politicians, bending over backwards to make it easier for illegal immigrants to get in and to get taxpayer benefits. But this one absolutely tops the list of insane ideas," DeMaio told Fox News Digital. 

If passed, Assembly Bill 2586 would provide state government jobs at taxpayers’ expense for illegal immigrants. DeMaio said specifically, it mandates that illegal immigrants with no U.S. work authorization should be given access to apply for and take jobs provided through taxpayer-funded universities run by the state government.

"By passing a law to mandate that illegal immigrants be hired for taxpayer-funded jobs in state government, California Democrats are not only making our border crisis worse, they are openly violating federal employment laws that prohibit the hiring of illegal immigrants!" DeMaio said. 

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Reform California Chairman Carl DeMaio says Democrats in the California State Legislature are proposing to pass the so-called "Opportunity for All Act" (CA Assembly Bill 2586) that will direct the University of California system - which is the largest agency of the state government - to begin hiring illegal immigrants for taxpayer-funded state jobs.  (Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Image)

DeMaio said the bill is instructing the largest state government agency in California, the University of California system, the colleges and universities, to hire illegal immigrants, which violates federal employment law. 

"They are telling the managers of state government to knowingly break federal employment law, which is very clear, that it is against federal law for an employer to knowingly hire someone in this country that's not authorized to work. And these illegal immigrants are not authorized to work," DeMaio explained.

He continued by stating that, despite this, the state government has decided to knowingly break the law. He said, according to university lawyers, this not only opens up the manager who's doing the hiring to federal prosecution, but also puts the illegal immigrant in legal jeopardy. 

"This is insane. It's offensive. Taxpayers should not be giving state government jobs to illegal immigrants in the state of California. On top of all the welfare benefits and all the other goodies that are being given out," DeMaio said.

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May 23, 2024: Illegal immigrants wait to be picked up at the southern border. (Bill Melugin/Fox News)

DeMaio said even the University of California board, the regents, and the University of California system, which have a board of directors that the governor appoints, backed away from this proposal a year ago because university attorneys said the bill was going to create legal problems.

"It's a violation of federal law, an open and shut case. And because the UC board of directors chose not to implement this policy, now, California politicians in the state legislature want to mandate it by passing this law," DeMaio explained.

DeMaio emphasized that this law has been fast tracked. It sailed through the Assembly, passing by a 59-4 vote. Now it's awaiting action in the state Senate, which he fears will pass it and make it law. He said it's just like so many other "bad policies that incentivize illegal immigration in California." 

"It's a problem on two fronts. First, it's offensive to be giving taxpayer-funded state government jobs to illegal immigrants in violation of federal law, putting everybody at legal jeopardy," DeMaio said.

"But second, let's be very clear that California politicians are the marketing boosters for human trafficking. They are giving these goodies out whether it's free health care at taxpayer expense or the sanctuary state law or these government jobs. They're putting a whole bunch of goodies on the table, at taxpayer expense, that the human traffickers use to induce and incentivize illegal immigration across the California-Mexico border." 

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Approximately 30 migrants lined up in an empty parking lot near Jacumba Hot Springs, California, on March 27, 2024. Border Patrol agents have encountered record numbers of illegal immigrants in the San Diego area in recent years, straining both federal and local resources.  (Hannah Ray Lambert/Fox News Digital)

DeMaio said that not only is this a California problem, but it's also a national problem.

"This is a national issue because if California continues to dangle carrots at taxpayer expense through their state government to incentivize illegal immigration, we will never secure our border," DeMaio said.

He praised Texas Governor Greg Abbott for "doing his job" and sending the resources needed to shore up Texas' border with Mexico.DeMaio said because Abbott has done so well addressing the border crisis in Texas, the San Diego Sector in California is becoming the number one illegal immigrant crossing point.

DeMaio said this is the first time California has been number one in illegal immigrant crossings since 1999. He said the reason is that Texas has put more security at their border, pushing the flow of illegal immigration to California. 

"So even if we do get President Trump back in the Oval Office, even if we do change federal policy at the border, if California politicians continue to roll out a red carpet and give taxpayer funded benefits and taxpayer funded jobs to illegal immigrants, we are going to still have a border crisis, and that will be an impact that will be felt nationally," DeMaio said.