California officials released a new online portal that allows residents to report potentially unlawful actions by federal agents on Dec. 2. This is the state’s most direct attempt thus far to track and respond to abuses tied to the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement tactics.
The portal, announced by Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, allows Californians to submit photos, videos and written accounts of interactions with federal agents, including officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and federalized National Guard troops. The platform is designed to create a clearer record of alleged misconduct and inform any future legal action aimed at protecting the civil rights of Californians.
“This new portal gives Californians an easy and safe way to speak up, share what they see, and help us hold people accountable,” Newsom said in a press release from the California Department of Justice. “No one is above the law.”
According to the new portal, residents can anonymously report incidents like excessive force, unlawful searches or arrests, wrongful detentions, voting interference or other civil rights violations. The California Department of Justice emphasized that the information will be treated confidentially and will not trigger an immediate law enforcement response, but residents must still call 911 for emergencies.
Over the summer, immigration raids surged across Southern California, eliciting widespread fear in immigrant communities. Agents have detained people at car washes, Home Depots, bus stops and farms, including U.S. citizens. In Los Angeles County, supervisors issued an emergency proclamation warning that federal raids created a “climate of fear” severe enough to keep residents from traveling to work or accessing county services in October.
State officials described the portal as a response to countless reports of aggressive or unlawful federal enforcement activity.
Attorney General Bonta said in the press release the state continues to receive reports of situations that “more closely resemble kidnappings,” involving unmarked vehicles and unexpected detainments.
“Californians are rightly concerned that federal agents may be crossing the line and abusing their authority,” Bonta said. “Federal agents can enforce federal laws, and no one should interfere with them doing their job.” He mentioned that they “must also do so lawfully and in compliance with the Constitution.”
California has continued to fiercely oppose the Trump Administration’s immigration policies. Since January 2025, the state has filed 48 lawsuits challenging federal actions, ranging from funding cuts to efforts that required states to assist with federal immigration enforcement according to the press release.
“President Trump and Stephen Miller’s immigration agenda is built on arbitrary quotas with evident disdain for due process, safety and Americans’ rights,” the state said in its announcement. “In California, their tactics have terrorized communities, traumatized students and workers, disrupted businesses, and endangered public safety.”
Newsom and Bonta claimed that the new reporting platform supports a broader attempt to protect Californians from what they characterize as reckless federal enforcement policies.
Recently enacted state laws require judicial warrants for immigration agents to enter classrooms, emergency rooms or nonpublic hospital areas, prohibit childcare programs from collecting immigration information and protect families’ personal data from being shared with federal authorities.
Residents can access the reporting form on the Attorney General’s website. The portal accepts up to five photos and five video links per submission, along with detailed incident descriptions noting location, date, injuries, other law enforcement involvement and whether the complainant witnessed the incident firsthand.
Anika Denny is a News Staff Writer. She can be reached at adenny1@uci.edu.
Edited by Mariam Farag and Riley Schnittger