Outside the State Office Building in downtown Los Angeles a protest was held against the governor's vetoes of several bills, including those affecting farm workers and domestic workers.
"Jerry Brown didn't just let these workers down. He betrayed his own commitment to these values that we thought he shared with us," said Maria Elena Durazo, executive director and treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
They are also angry the governor vetoed the Trust Act. Currently, people booked in jail who could be deportable are held for immigration officials. The Trust Act would have restricted local law enforcement.
"ICE has self-imposed the goal of deporting 400,000 people a year. Governor Brown chose to be complicit with that colossal injustice," said Pablo Alvarado, National Day Laborers Organizing Network.
In his veto, Brown said: "The bill would bar local cooperation even when the person arrested has been convicted of certain crimes involving child abuse, drug trafficking, selling weapons, using children to sell drugs, or gangs."
"It would have put in direct conflict with the federal government and the laws," said Luis Alvarado, chairman of the Republican Hispanic Assembly of Los Angeles. He supports the governor's veto. "One thing to remember is that Governor Brown, before he was Governor Brown, he was the attorney general of California and truly understands that this is a very important tool for law enforcement to actually protect the cities and keep the citizens safe."
Immigrant-rights groups say it's not over yet. They plan to bring these issues back to the table next year and will pressure the governor to approve them.
