California Governor Gavin Newsom’s actions have sparked controversy, raising questions about his commitment to public safety. Recently uncovered state records reveal his role in securing substantial nonprofit donations for organizations advocating extreme policies that threaten Californians.

Summary

• California Governor Gavin Newsom solicited $610,000 for groups advocating defunding or abolishing police.
• Funds supported Immigrant Defenders Law Center (IDLC) and Immigrant Legal Defense (ILD), tied to radical anti-law enforcement agendas.
• Newsom publicly called defunding police “lunacy” but proposed cutting public safety budgets.
• Actions coincided with violent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, raising safety concerns.
• Critics argue Newsom’s funding contradicts his stated moderate positions.

Newsom’s Financial Push for Radical Groups

State records, first reported by The Washington Free Beacon, show that since 2023, Newsom personally requested nonprofits donate at least $610,000 to groups pushing to defund or abolish law enforcement. The Immigrant Defenders Law Center (IDLC) received $500,000 in 2023 from the Irvine Foundation, while Immigrant Legal Defense (ILD) secured $110,000 in 2025 from the Stuart Foundation, both at Newsom’s behest. These organizations openly advocate dismantling police and immigration enforcement systems, with IDLC calling to “dismantle the police state” and ILD aiming to “abolish immigration detention” entirely, per their websites.

“The Governor has never supported efforts to defund the police,” a Newsom spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The contributions went toward ensuring children had access to lawyers in immigration court and due process for asylum seekers — a shocking concept for the Trump administration, we know. If defending due process offends you, take it up with the Constitution.”

Contradictory Stance Amid Rising Tensions

Newsom’s actions clash with his public rhetoric. In a March 2025 interview, he labeled police defunding proposals “lunacy” and, on July 14, expressed willingness to eliminate sanctuary policies that limit police cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Yet, his funding choices tell a different story. In the year following IDLC’s $500,000 grant, Newsom proposed slashing California’s public safety budget to address a fiscal deficit, prioritizing climate programs instead, according to the Daily Caller.

This funding coincided with heightened unrest. On June 7, 2025, IDLC launched a bond fund to free illegal immigrants from ICE custody, just one day after anti-ICE riots erupted in Los Angeles, involving fires and assaults on law enforcement. Waymo cars were set ablaze during protests near a federal building on June 8, highlighting the volatile climate.

Critics Sound the Alarm

Conservative voices are raising concerns about Newsom’s priorities. “Governor Newsom’s actions speak louder than his words,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli on X. “Dangerous rhetoric from CA politicians is fueling assaults on federal agents enforcing immigration laws. Their reckless words implicitly encourage violence, escalating tensions. But we won’t back down.” Essayli’s statement reflects growing frustration with policies perceived to undermine law enforcement.

The timing of Newsom’s funding decisions is particularly troubling. California’s requirement for elected officials to report solicited donations reveals Newsom’s direct influence in channeling funds to IDLC for “critical services offered to migrants” and to ILD for “immigration legal services through K-12 school-based partnerships.” Critics argue these funds embolden groups that exacerbate community tensions, especially as ICE reported a nearly 700% increase in assaults on its agents.

A Pattern of Questionable Funding

This isn’t an isolated incident. Newsom’s administration has funneled $18 million to the Tides Center, a dark money nonprofit linked to leftist projects, including those opposing law enforcement, per The Washington Free Beacon. The lack of transparency in these transactions raises further questions about accountability.

“Newsom’s funding of radical groups while cutting public safety budgets is a slap in the face to law-abiding Californians,” said conservative pundit Steve Hilton, a candidate for governor. His critique underscores a broader sentiment that Newsom’s policies prioritize ideology over safety.

What’s Next for California?

As Newsom eyes a potential 2028 presidential run, his mixed messaging—publicly distancing himself from radical policies while privately supporting them—could alienate voters. With California facing rising crime and budget challenges, the governor’s decisions will remain under intense scrutiny.