California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill earlier this week that would impose a 25% tax on private detention centers, a policy that would apply to all the facilities that partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Golden State.
asserted
that → sign → State
"If we can’t kick out private facilities, we’ll go after their profits," Newsom said in a press release.
asserted
Newsom → kick → release
The move, which Newsom hailed as a way to push back against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and what he sees as the practice of privatizing federal enforcement, is raising concerns among immigration experts who believe the increased tax could force the government to explore alternative facilities less suited to housing detainees.
uncertain
tax → hail → detainees
It also poses questions about what would happen if all eight of ICE's detention facilities choose to suspend their operations in California.
asserted
eight → pose → California
That’s the view of Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow and an immigration expert with Advancing American Freedom, a conservative-leaning think tank.
asserted
That → ’ → Freedom
It's very clear that there's only one purpose to this California gigantic tax increase, and that is to make sure that the federal government cannot find any private property owners, any private contractors in California that are willing to lease space to the federal government," Spakovsky said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
asserted
Spakovsky → be → Digital
"The alternative for the federal government is to look at all the different federal properties that the government actually owns out there, over which neither Newsom or anybody else in California can impose any kind of tax, and see if any of those federal facilities can be converted to being a detention facility."
asserted
any → look → facilities
Spakovsky explained that could mean repurposing warehouses or office space.
uncertain
that → explain → warehouses
The newly minted law, AB 1633, is among 20 other bills that Newsom signed on Tuesday.
asserted
Newsom → mint → Tuesday
In its current form, the 25% tax applies to the gross income of any private detention facility and applies to federal, state and local contract recipients.
asserted
tax → apply → recipients
Revenue from the bill will go to a "Due Process for All Fund," designated for immigration-related services, according to the bill’s language.
uncertain
Revenue → go → language
Now that AB 1633 has been signed into law, it will go into effect on July 1, 2028.
asserted
it → sign → July
Alongside the bill, Newsom signed a handful of other restrictions.
asserted
Newsom → sign → restrictions
"We’re also banning the Orwellian practice of using shock gloves in enforcement activity as well as further protecting access to our court system," Newsom said.
asserted
Newsom → ban → system
"We may not be able to dictate federal immigration policy, but we can make clear that activities taking place in California will be subject to California law."
Despite Newsom’s framing, Spakovsky believes the governor will affect federal immigration law enforcement by limiting the overall space it has to operate.
uncertain
it → dictate → space
He pointedto reporting from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that details its detention needs.
asserted
that → pointedto → needs
He explained that the government relies on private contractors, at least partially, to avoid the costs of building out their own facilities.
asserted
government → explain → facilities
"If you look at that report, currently ICE has about has enough detention space for about sixty-six thousand aliens.
asserted
ICE → look → aliens
Okay, that's the full size of the federal government's detention capacity," Spakovsky said.
asserted
Spakovsky → say → capacity
If an entire state’s private detention contractors decided the tax is too high, ICE’s overall capacity could shrink.
uncertain
capacity → decide → ?
California is home to eight ICE detention facilities, according to reporting from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
uncertain
California → accord → Security
All of them are privately operated.
asserted
All → operate → them
The GEO Group, a corrections company, owns five facilities.
asserted
Group → own → facilities
Imperial Valley Gateway Center LLC, a local detention company, owns one more.
asserted
LLC → own → one
Two more were purchased by DHS in July but are run by CoreCivic, a prison company, and have contracts through 2027 and 2029.
asserted
Two → purchase → 2027
Although the bill won’t go into effect until 2028, in Trump’s last year of his second term, Spakovsky believes that the government might begin evaluating where else it can find partnerships to meet its detention needs sooner rather than later.
"
uncertain
it → go → needs
Look, if I was the federal government and I couldn't find enough federal properties in California to do this, I would then go into neighboring friendlier states that I could quickly transport aliens I've detained and I would lease and rent facilities there
uncertain
I → look → facilities
"I'd go to Arizona, I'd potentially go to Nevada, I'd go to other states where they might be eager for federal government money and the increased employment from private contractors hiring people to work on these facilities."
uncertain
they → go → facilities
The office of Gavin Newsom did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
asserted
office → respond → Digital
The Aporia
