--- title: California Is Now a Sanctuary State: Jerry Brown Signs Bill description: California is now a "sanctuary state," after Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill into law. Here's what it means canonical: https://time.com/4960233/california-sanctuary-state-donald-trump/ author: Katy Steinmetz article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-10-05T19:48:41.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T09:55:41.365Z article:section: Politics og:title: California Just Became a 'Sanctuary State.' Here's What That Means og:description: Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill on Thursday og:url: https://time.com/4960233/california-sanctuary-state-donald-trump/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1d4a78cce94159c/6988dff4fb4eac685b893f04/gettyimages-693947902.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4700 og:image:height: 2644 og:image:alt: 170929-Jerry Brown og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: California Just Became a 'Sanctuary State.' Here's What That Means twitter:description: Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill on Thursday twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1d4a78cce94159c/6988dff4fb4eac685b893f04/gettyimages-693947902.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # California Just Became a 'Sanctuary State.' Here's What That Means > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=1c97be4b-acf4-40a7-98bd-af159e7c2c30&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Jerry Brown: The Philosopher King [Watch (HLS stream): Jerry Brown: The Philosopher King](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/q04FfEEh.m3u8) (3:28)  _Published 2017-09-06. As people look to California to push back against a Republican agenda, Jerry Brown sees his star soar_ by [Katy Steinmetz](https://time.com/author/katy-steinmetz/) ## Katy Steinmetz Oct 5, 2017 7:48 PM UTC by [Katy Steinmetz](https://time.com/author/katy-steinmetz/) ## Katy Steinmetz Oct 5, 2017 7:48 PM UTC California [Gov. Jerry Brown](http://time.com/4931041/jerry-brown-the-philosopher-king/) on Thursday signed a so-called [“sanctuary state” bill](http://time.com/4941558/california-sanctuary-state-law-sb54/) that will limit cooperation between local officials and federal immigration enforcement. The measure is one of the most high-profile ways that Democrats in the state have sought to push back against the Republican agenda, as President Donald Trump has taken a hard line on immigration and [other issues](http://time.com/4725971/california-resisting-trump-administration/) that are significant to Golden State lawmakers. “These are uncertain times for undocumented Californians and their families, and this bill strikes a balance that will protect public safety, while bringing a measure of comfort to those families who are now living in fear every day,” Brown said in statement, according to the Associated Press. Brown’s decision to sign the bill will almost certainly draw the ire of the President, who has threatened to withhold funds from sanctuary cities — a move that inspired several jurisdictions in California [to sue](http://time.com/4655515/san-francisco-lawsuit-sanctuary-city-trump/) his administration. Though there is not a set definition of what makes any place a “sanctuary” for immigrants, laws described that typically aim to limit the deportation of undocumented residents. While other states have passed laws that shore up protections for immigrants, the California bill, formally known as SB54, has been described as the most comprehensive in the country. Measures range from treating schools, courthouses and hospitals as “safe zones” to restricting the ability of local police to detain people on behalf of federal immigration agents. The law does nothing to curtail the ability of federal agents to come into the state and deport people or carry out raids, but it does make such actions more difficult for agencies with limited resources. An estimated 10 million immigrants live in California, more than the entire population of states such as Michigan, and about 25% of them are [thought to be](http://www.pewhispanic.org/interactives/unauthorized-immigrants/) undocumented. The author of the bill, state Senate Leader Kevin de Leon, has positioned it as a safety measure to ensure undocumented residents are unafraid to report crimes to the police or send their kids to school. De Leon said at a press conference that the new law “will put a large kink in Trump’s perverse and inhumane deportation machine,” according to the AP. The main criticisms of SB54 have also been about safety, as organizations such as the California State Sheriffs’ Association have argued that dangerous criminals might slip through the cracks if local authorities are limited in their ability to interact with federal officials. Before signing the bill, Gov. Brown negotiated changes meant to assuage some of those concerns, such as allowing for cooperation in cases that involve particular crimes. Though Trump could attempt to deny federal funding to California over the bill, he would face legal hurdles in doing so and such an action would very likely lead to a lawsuit. As the new President took office, lawmakers in the state retained former Attorney General Eric Holder’s law firm to help advise them on the legal limits of resistance. And the state has already sued the federal government over issues ranging from energy efficiency standards to [the decision to end DACA](http://time.com/4941733/trump-daca-deal-enshrine/), a program that has shielded young immigrants from deportation. ## Transcript When California does well America does well and when California hurts America hurts. And when we defend California we defend America. [ APPLAUSE ] California is stated as the sixth largest economy in the world separate in the world. We started taking action in California long before Donald Trump was even heard of. We are on our own positive program On reducing air pollution, on building high speed rail, in extending healthcare to millions of people. Treating our immigrants fairly and we will continue down that path, and to the extent that the Trump administration tries to through roadblocks. We'll combat that. And take action against it where we can. [ NOISE ] [ CROSSTALK ] Hi there. Whether it's studying algebra or riding a bicycle the more practice you have the better you get. And I certainly have more practice at being Governor. In my 15th year as governor than I had in my first through my second. No one's ever completed a third term, much less a fourth term in California. So what it means is that I bring experience. And certainly when you separate it by a 28 year period, then you have time to go out into the world and do many other things, and then to come back. And it does Give a clarity and an insight that I found very helpful. If you want real change. If you want to send a wake up call to those people in the Congress who raise their pay, who rip you off, who lie to you, then vote for me. [ APPLAUSE ] A lot of politics is timing, or one might say luck. It's hard to get elected. That's why the fact that I've won, in some cases. I guess when you lose, well, though, I don't know that I've lost anything. By not winning, I was able to do other things. So losing the Senate meant, well, my next office was to be the leader of the Democratic Party, and the next Was to run for President and not winning that. My next was to become mayor of Oakland and now I'm back to being Governor. I've followed a path and that it closes one door but in enables me to open up another. And so far, all the doors that I've opened have been Quite spectacular and illuminated my life in many ways. [ MUSIC ] My wife, she's helping me pick out batteries for our off the grid solar microgrid out on my great grandfather's ranch. When I'm building a house. This an idea that I've had rein habitation. My great grandfather Aguish Schuckman and his wife came from Germany and they inhabited the first time. And now going back a second time, we'll rein habit it and transform it with olive trees. Home, and a micro grid of solar and renewable energy not connected to the electric company. And it'll be a place where I can invite people, and I'll learn how to live in 110 degree heat. Because that's the way my great grandfather lived, without any air conditioning Condition. But we will have a little more comfort than that. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4960233/california-sanctuary-state-donald-trump/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4960233/california-sanctuary-state-donald-trump/"},"headline":"California Just Became a 'Sanctuary State.' Here's What That Means","datePublished":"2017-10-05T19:48:41.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-08T09:55:41.365Z","description":"Gov. 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