A new bill by Democratic Sen. Melissa Hurtado (SB 1181) would create a pilot program for coordination and information sharing between fusion centers (a regional intelligence-sharing hub between multiple government agencies) and Central Valley schools. Although it has received little attention, this bill would have harmful consequences leading to more criminalization, surveillance, and deportation of students of color, immigrant students, and LGBTQ+ students. Fusion centers, of which California already has six, tend to have little oversight and accountability. These centers have operated largely in the shadows for over 20 years and they were developed by the Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency. Fusion centers collect a large amount of information about people, funneling information that is sometimes inaccurate, to local, state, and federal entities, including ICE and private corporations.
What Are the Consequences of Fusion Centers?
Fusion centers have gathered information on people engaging in First Amendment-protected activities. For example, the Northern California Fusion Center issued warnings about local Black Lives Matter rallies before they took place. [Brennan Center, 2023] Fusion centers have also targeted pro-choice activists and “often singled out American Muslims for unwarranted scrutiny.” [Brennan Center, 2022] For these reasons, fusion centers are also referred to as “spying centers” or even “data deportation centers."
On May 8, 2026, Oasis signed a letter opposing the proposed bill. Oasis serves LGBTQ+ immigrants, including youth and families, many of whom are already affected by heightened immigration enforcement and surveillance practices directed at immigrant communities, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Expanding information-sharing between schools and fusion centers would likely deter students and families from engaging with schools and support services, particularly where there is concern that information could become accessible to federal law enforcement or immigration authorities. We believe that at a minimum, any proposal authorizing the sharing of student information with fusion centers should include enforceable safeguards, such as independent oversight, transparency requirements, protections against immigration enforcement access without a judicial warrant, and clear limitations on how student data may be collected, retained, and shared. The proposed bill does not include these considerations.
Thanks to advocacy, Senator Hurtado verbally committed to removing fusion centers from SB 1181. Unfortunately, the language was not amended in time, and on May 28, 2026, SB 1181 passed the Senate floor. We continue to monitor the bill as it moves to the Assembly, and take any future steps required to keep our students and their families safe.