Newsom Signs Bill — Dubbed ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ by Opponents — To Curb Public Access to Immigrant Aid Advisers

A YouTuber at the center of controversial legislation in California is hosting a protest at the state capitol building on Wednesday, saying a new law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom over the weekend is aimed at stopping citizen journalism. “California is saying we care more about illegal immigrants and the millions of dollars we give to the fraudulent entities that support them than the legal taxpayer,” independent journalist Nick Shirley wrote online, urging followers to buy a new sweatshirt he is selling that says “Califraudia Republic.”The bill signed into law by the governor on Saturday will now make private the addresses of individuals who work with certain immigrant support groups. The legislation has been dubbed by some Republicans as the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” — given Mr. Shirley’s use of government records to make videos about fraud at Minnesota daycare centers run primarily by Somali immigrants and payments to ghost hospice care workers by Medi-Cal in California. Mr. Shirley, a Gen Z content creator, was invited to the White House to interview Vice President JD Vance after his video on the Minnesota daycare fraud went viral. Mr. Shirley’s video followed a federal investigation which resulted in several arrests. The bill, AB 2624, is meant to stop people like Mr. Shirley from being able to look into individuals who work at nonprofit organizations or legal clinics which aid immigrants. The bill’s sponsor, assemblywoman Mia Bonta — wife of California attorney general Rob Bonta, says those who work with immigrant communities should be free from harassment. “Right now, our immigrant service providers are living in fear because of extremists looking to demonize the work that they do and the populations they serve. That is an intolerable consequence of the anti-immigrant rhetoric that exists right now,” Ms. Bonta said in a statement. “I’m proud that with the signing of this bill California is rejecting that, even when people try to make us feel that the political cost of supporting immigrant communities is too high.”According to the law, if the names of individuals who work at such outfits are made public, the person named could be entitled to monetary compensation. The minimum payment for such a leak is $4,000. Mr. Newsom did not offer a message when he signed the bill on Saturday, as he often does when he signs or vetoes pieces of legislation. However, in a statement to The New York Sun, Mr. Newsom’s deputy communications director, Diana Crofts-Pelayo, said that the law has “nothing to do with Nick Shirley.”“It allows immigration service providers to shield their personal information — such as their home address — to protect themselves from getting doxed and harassed. The real controversy here is that MAGA Republicans are either lying to create up fake conspiracy theories, or none of them know how to read,” Ms. Crofts-Pelayo said. The “Stop Nick Shirley Act” name was first given to the bill by Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, a Republican lawmaker from San Diego. He argues the bill is purposefully designed to protect left-wing groups which aid migrants. He says with this new law on the books, California Democrats will enable fraud schemes several times larger than the Minnesota scandal to take place. “Instead of fixing the fraud problems being uncovered, Sacramento politicians are trying to shut down the people exposing them,” Mr. DeMaio said in a statement earlier this year, arguing that the legislation “would allow activists and taxpayer-funded organizations to demand the removal of video evidence — even if it captures misconduct in plain view — and threatens journalists with massive financial penalties.”“That’s not about public safety — it’s about protecting powerful interests,” he argued. “The message is clear to every journalist in California: expose corruption and you will be punished.”Mr. Shirley had tried to ask questions of California lawmakers about the bill before it came up for a vote, and tensions were clearly high. Last week, the chief of staff for state assemblywoman Terry McKinnon, a Democrat, got into it with Mr. Shirley. The interaction was later posted online. “Did you guys hear that Nick Shirley has a small penis, allegedly?” The aide, Terry Schanz, says to Mr. Shirley as the YouTuber is talking with another man about AB 2624. “Wow, that’s so adult of you,” Mr. Shirley says deadpan in response. According to KCRA, Mr. Schanz is now facing multiple human resources complaints after he accosted Mr. Shirley.

Newsom Signs Bill — Dubbed ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ by Opponents — To Curb Public Access to Immigrant Aid Advisers

Newsom Signs Bill — Dubbed ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ by Opponents — To Curb Public Access to Immigrant Aid Advisers

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