Faith Leaders Push California to Become First State to Ban Public Dollars from Subsidizing Family Separation
As AB 2465 Nears Critical Senate Floor Vote, Assemblymember Ortega Joins PICO California, Faith in Action East Bay Unite & Community Faith Leaders in Union City to Demand Legislature Pass Nation-Leading Law
UNION CITY, CA – As immigrant families face escalating detention, deportation, and fear across California and the country, PICO California, Faith in Action East Bay, community faith leaders, and Assemblymember Liz Ortega will gather at Our Lady of the Rosary Church to call for passage of AB 2465: The No Taxpayer Dollars for Family Separation Act.
Rooted in the belief that families are sacred, faith leaders will urge California lawmakers to ensure that public resources reflect public values. AB 2465 would prohibit state tax credits, grants, loans, and other taxpayer-funded benefits from flowing to companies that profit from detention, deportation, and family separation.
WHAT:
Press conference and faith-community rally in support of AB 2465: The No Taxpayer Dollars for Family Separation Act
WHO:
Assemblymember Liz Ortega (D-San Leandro)
PICO California
Faith in Action East Bay
Community faith leaders
Immigrant justice and community partners
Local families and supporters
*Assemblymember Ortega and leaders available for Spanish language interviews.
WHEN:
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
11:00 AM
WHERE:
Our Lady of the Rosary Church
703 C St.
Union City, CA 94587
BACKGROUND:
At a time when the federal government is expanding immigration enforcement, detaining children, and when deaths in ICE custody and violent enforcement incidents continue to raise alarm, California has a moral responsibility to draw a clear line: public dollars should protect families, not reward companies tied to the machinery that tears them apart.
Despite California’s efforts to limit for-profit detention, current law does not clearly prevent companies tied to detention and deportation infrastructure from receiving taxpayer-funded support. AB 2465 closes that gap and affirms a simple moral principle: if a company profits from family separation, it should not receive public support from the State of California.
As the bill moves toward the Senate floor, PICO California, Faith in Action East Bay, Assemblymember Ortega, and local faith leaders will call on lawmakers to stand with immigrant families, workers, and communities of faith by voting yes.
QUOTE
“Families are sacred. Public dollars are moral choices. California should never use tax breaks, grants, or public benefits to support companies tied to detention, deportation, and family separation,” said Joseph Tomas Mckellar, Executive Director of PICO California. “AB 2465 is about public accountability and moral clarity. If companies profit from tearing families apart, they should not receive support from the State of California.”
ABOUT PICO CALIFORNIA
PICO California is a statewide, multi-faith, multi-racial network of community organizations working to build power with families and communities across California. Rooted in faith and organized around justice, PICO California brings together clergy, congregations, and community leaders to advance policies that protect families, defend human dignity, and ensure public resources serve the common good.