Oppose California SB 509
A Threat to Civil Liberties and Immigrant Communities in California
Introduced by Senator Anna M. Caballero, SB 509 purports to address the so-called “transnational repression” (TNR) of Californians by foreign governments. It appears well-intentioned on the surface, but in its deliberately vague and expansive language lies a deeply flawed and dangerous proposal that threatens the civil liberties of immigrant communities including Hindu Americans.
If passed, SB 509 would give California’s Office of Emergency Services the power to train local law enforcement officials on how to identify “foreign proxies”—without clearly defining who those proxies are, and without any evidence that such threats even exist in the state. In effect, this bill puts any individual with foreign roots ,who may be advocating for his/her community, at risk of being labelled a foreign government “proxy”. For instance, California Hindus opposing the vandalization of their neighborhood mandir with anti-India graffiti could be labelled as proxies of the Indian government.
Additionally, the bill seeks to protect, specifically, ‘dissidents’ who are ostensibly protesting the policies of foreign governments. What this means for Hindu-Californians is that, at a time when anti-Hindu hate crimes are on rise, extremists who consider our mandirs and other sacred spaces as legitimate targets for their anti-India protests will now have legal cover and be further emboldened.
SB 509 risks conflating our faith, culture, and advocacy with foreign interference. CoHNA is deeply concerned that this bill will be weaponized to target Indian-origin Hindu Californians, stigmatize community advocacy, and offer cover to violent extremist groups under the label of “dissidents.” We urge lawmakers and residents to oppose this bill.
Let’s be clear: My faith is not a foreign plot
TAKE ACTION!
1. Send a letter to your Senator and Assembly Member (California Residents Only)
2. Confused about SB-509? Check out our FAQs
3. Download our sample scripts to call or email the offices of the Senators
WHY IS SB 509 A PROBLEM?
- Uses vague, undefined terms like “proxies,” putting Hindu, Indian-American and other immigrant communities at risk.
- While Californians Hinds advocating for their community risk being miscast as “foreign proxies,” those who engage in violence or threats may be shielded by the label of “dissidents.”
- Assigns federal duties (like judging INTERPOL notices) to state agencies who are not trained in matters of foreign policy and national security, violating the U.S. Constitution.
- FBI data shows zero TNR cases involving Hindus in California. This bill is a solution in search of a problem.
- Real threat of anti-Hindu hate crimes, often under the garb of anti-India protests, is ignored
Useful videos
Useful articles
- New transnational repression bill in California, SB 509, gets pushback – Diya TV USA
- CoHNA Raises Concerns As CA Advances Bill On Transnational Repression – IndiaWest Journal News
- Southern California Hindu temple desecrated with anti-India and anti-Hindu graffiti calls for peace – The Associated Press
- CA’s Transnational Repression bill fails in Senate Committee – New India Abroad
Other Resources
- CoHNA’s Position Letter: CoHNA-Position-Letter-on-Opposition-to-SB-509-Mar-2025.pdf
- Full text of SB509: https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB509/id/3132019
List of recent attacks on Hindus
- In US: https://cohna.org/attacks-on-hindus-in-the-united-states/
- In Canada: https://cohna.org/growing-attacks-on-hindu-mandirs-in-canada-list-of-events/
California Hate Crime Data: California vs Hate Civil Rights Department
FAQs regarding CoHNA’s opposition to SB 509
1. Why should I care about SB 509?
SB 509 is a vague and unnecessary bill that could let people label anyone in an immigrant heavy community (such as Hindus and Indian Americans) as “proxy” of a foreign government-especially if you are proud of or defend your heritage and roots from attacks by those privileged as “dissident”. The very vagueness of the definitions is problematic and open to misuse or political influence. It puts regular people at risk of being unfairly profiled, harassed, or silenced by privileging some groups over others.
Equally concerning is how the bill politicizes long standing security protocols like INTERPOL notices-leaving them vulnerable to being judged by local officials in the Emergency Services department.
There is also the conflict with federal mandates in deciding on what constitutes “transnational repression.” These are complex international issues that should be handled by federal authorities who are trained in matters of foreign policy and national security.
2. I still don’t see how this affects my daily life.
Think about it this way: If your place of worship is vandalized-as 5 Hindu temples have been in 15 months, and you speak up, someone could dismiss you as a “foreign proxy.” If a member of your community is the victim of a hate crime and you advocate on their behalf, you could be painted as part of some global conspiracy. Even if you prove yourself innocent, this kind of stigma could affect your reputation, your career and cost you social capital.
3. I’m a proud American - why would anyone say I’m a proxy for another country?
That’s exactly the problem! The bill doesn’t define who counts as a “proxy” -leaving open the threat for misuse. We’ve seen it before—Indians in public life are regularly targeted with allegations of dual loyalty –even without laws like this. It’s guilt by association for being Indian and Hindu.
4. But isn’t this bill about stopping foreign governments from harassing people in the U.S.?
That’s what it claims, but in fact, the bill creates no new protections or crimes. This was acknowledged by the Legislative Director of the same Senator Caballero, who has introduced the bill. It only opens the door to target vulnerable immigrants, under the pretext of “transnational repression.”
Federal authorities already have full authority to investigate foreign repression. This bill adds nothing new—except empower state and local officials to target people based on vague suspicions.
5. What can I do that actually makes a difference?
Sign the letter. Make calls. It takes less than a minute to tell lawmakers: “I’m a resident of California, and I oppose SB 509.” That simple action adds your voice to a growing list of concerned Californians. And it shows lawmakers that Hindus vote, and Hindus pay attention.
7. I’ve never done anything like this before. Is it safe? Will my name be public?
It’s completely safe. The one click email is sent through a secure platform, and your personal information is only used to match you with your senator. You’re simply exercising your right to speak up as a California resident.