Nick Shirley sues California over law shielding information of immigration support workers

Supporters of the citizen journalist have called Assembly Bill 2624 the 'Stop Nick Shirley Act.'SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Right-wing influencer Nick Shirley sued Californiaon Friday over a newly passed law he claims targets his investigatory work into fraud permeating government-funded programs.Dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” by Shirley supporters, the law adds immigration support service providers to California’s Safe at Home program, which allows qualifying people to use a confidential address in public records. The program also covers victims of sexual assault, stalking and child abduction, among others.Shirley says the law could impose liability for publishing or revealing certain personal information about immigration service providers, even if obtained lawfully.“The First Amendment does not allow the government to silence truthful reporting because it is controversial, inconvenient, or politically disfavored,” Shirley says, adding: “In practical terms, the law places a target on all the investigative reporting Mr. Shirley conducts.”Shirley asks a federal judge to declare the law a violation of the First and 14th amendments and stop California from enforcing it.Shirley rose to national prominence reporting on suspected fraud involving government-funded entities. He says he has nearly 2 million YouTube subscribers, 1.7 million followers on X and 3.2 million on Instagram.Shirley says his reporting in December uncovered more than $100 million in fraud involving Somali-run daycare centers in Minnesota. He has also investigated Armenian-run hospices, Somali-run daycares and immigration issues in California.He says he advocates for investigating and eliminating fraud and abuse in government-funded programs, emphasizing the role immigration could play in those issues.Shirley says California’s pushback began early this year after he announced on social media that he had arrived in the state.Days later, Governor Gavin Newsom said San Diego’s Somali community felt “under siege” after “right-wing provocateurs” arrived. Three days later, Attorney General Rob Bonta called fraud accusations in California reckless and ridiculous, Shirley says.Then, on Feb. 20, Assemblymember Mia Bonta, an Oakland Democrat and Rob Bonta’s wife, introduced Assembly Bill 2624, dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act.”The law, effective Oct. 1, 2027, prohibits the public display or distribution of program participants’ information upon receipt of a written demand.“By extending the Safe at Home Program protections, the bill allows eligible participants to keep their personal information confidential in public records, helping reduce exposure to harm while supporting the continued delivery of legal, social, and humanitarian services,” Mia Bonta said in a bill analysis.Shirley says he plans to keep investigating and reporting on people and groups considered immigration-support services under the new law. That law will chill his speech. There’s uncertainty about whether the information he publishes about immigration services will lead to civil liability.“Mr. Shirley faces a credible and objectively reasonable threat of enforcement under AB 2624,” he says. “The statute authorizes covered individuals to bring an action for injunctive or declaratory relief and for money damages.”Because of the law, Shirley says he’s stopped his investigative reporting because of the threat of civil liability. That means he faces an ongoing injury that affects his speech — a claim that’s ripe for the courts despite the law’s Oct. 1, 2027, implementation date.The law’s provisions are fixed, Shirley adds, and he must choose now whether to continue his reporting before he’s trapped in what he terms “a completed statutory scheme.”“I’m suing California…” Shirley stated Friday on his X account. “California has decided to push for less transparency and create laws that penalize citizens and journalists for looking into potential fraud inside ‘immigration support services providers.’ A written demand is all it takes to stop the publishing of a video in California. Enough is enough.”Rob Bonta’s office, in a statement to Courthouse News, said it knew of the lawsuit and would respond in court.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads