California bill bans ICE agents from teaching, policing jobs
Assembly Bill 1627, also known as the “MELT ICE Act,” proposes to permanently ban individuals who worked for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) between September 2025 and January 2029 from serving as police officers or teachers in California. This sweeping disqualification, extended to former employees of Alabama and Georgia corrections departments during specific periods, would be automatic and independent of personal conduct. However, legal experts and opponents raise concerns about potential constitutional challenges regarding discrimination and due process, questioning the state’s authority to enforce such a broad ban on former federal employees and its impact on existing staffing shortages. The bill is moving through the legislative process, with a committee hearing scheduled soon.
John Q. Hosedrinker