California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the hiring of Michele Beckwith, a former U.S. attorney who was recently dismissed by the Trump administration, as the deputy legal affairs secretary. This decision places Beckwith in a key position to provide legal counsel to the governor and state agencies, furthering her role in California’s legal landscape.
Beckwith was fired by the Trump administration after she clashed with Greg Bovino, chief of the Border Control sector in El Centro, California, over a court order on immigration arrests. Her dismissal came just hours after she asserted that a court order prevented Bovino from carrying out arrests without reasonable suspicion of federal law violations. The New York Times reported that within days of Beckwith’s firing, Bovino led a significant raid on a Home Depot parking lot, resulting in the arrest of at least eight undocumented individuals.
Newsom’s press office highlighted the significance of Beckwith’s hiring, stating it marked a triumph for democracy, with a spokesperson noting that Trump’s actions had put democracy on the brink. Beckwith, in an interview with the Times, expressed her commitment to preserving the Constitution, emphasizing her role in maintaining democratic values.
This move comes amid ongoing tensions between Newsom and Trump, particularly regarding immigration enforcement. Recent disputes have included federal funding withdrawals by the Trump administration due to California’s refusal to comply with the Department of Transportation’s English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that California’s non-compliance with these standards posed a fundamental safety issue on American roads.
Additionally, recent truck crashes have been linked to commercial drivers who obtained their licenses from California, further intensifying concerns about the safety of U.S. highways. The White House confirmed that an individual recently involved in a fatal crash in California had obtained his commercial driver’s license from the state, prompting a crackdown on the issuance of such licenses to undocumented immigrants.
The Department of Justice has not commented on the matter, and the White House has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the situation. This context reinforces the broader political and policy implications of Beckwith’s new role within the state government.