Newsom SIGNED The Stop Nick Shirley Act - Shirley SUED 13 Days Later And The AG's Wife Wrote The Law

California’s AB 2624 has become the center of a federal First Amendment fight involving journalist and YouTuber Nick Shirley. Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on August 22, the law expands protections for immigration-support workers and restricts certain disclosures of their personal information. Supporters describe it as protection against harassment and threats; Shirley’s lawsuit argues that its provisions are overbroad, vague, and capable of chilling constitutionally protected reporting. The timeline has added another layer to the dispute. Attorney General Rob Bonta publicly criticized fraud allegations before Shirley released his California investigation, while AB 2624 was introduced weeks later by Assemblymember Mia Bonta, the attorney general’s wife. Shirley sued Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber in their official capacities on September 4. The law does not take effect until October 1, 2027. Until then, the federal case will test where California’s effort to protect immigration-service workers ends and First Amendment protections for journalists and online publishers begin.