Reps. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) and Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) were among the elected officials who participated in a rally on Sept. 22 outside the Hollywood studio where “Jimmy Kimmel Live” is taped.
Under pressure from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who alleged that Kimmel had made a disrespectful joke about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Disney suspended Kimmel last week, sparking concerns about censorship and prompting calls for a boycott.
In his monologue on Sept. 15, Kimmel said that “the MAGA gang (is) desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and is doing “everything they can to score political points” from the assassination.
Carr has suggested that ABC’s “The View,” whose hosts have also been critical of President Trump, might be targeted next, and Trump urged NBC to cancel Jimmy Fallon’s and Seth Meyers’ talk shows. CBS decided not renew “Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” stating that the show will end next year along with the entire “Late Show” franchise.
After a series of meetings with Kimmel, Disney announced on Sept. 22 that the show would return the following day.
The press conference was organized by Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), a former film and television producer.
Addressing Disney executives, Lieu said, “Stand up for the First Amendment, an amendment that generations of Americans gave blood, sweat and tears for. If you do that, we will be with you. We will continue to be empowered … Invoke the First Amendment, reinstate ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live,’ sue the FCC, and you will win.”
Lieu, who is vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, also signed following statement condemning Kimmel’s suspension along with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (New York), House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.), Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (San Bernardino), Assistant Leader Joe Neguse (Colo.) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene (Wash.).
“This is not about comments that a comedian made about Charlie Kirk,” Chu said. “This is about a president using the power of the federal government to silence his critics that he’s been open about for months. Now he’s saying the FCC should go further and cancel the broadcasting licenses of networks that criticize him.
“Are we going to be falling for that? Are we going to be silenced? This is the framework of authoritarians, and every single one of us has a responsibility to stand up for our the California Legislature for making this law a reality,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. “At a time when ICE raids have torn through Los Angeles, leaving thousands of families in fear, this victory brings much needed hope. AB 49 means a child can enter their classroom with books in hand, not terror in their heart. It means parents can send their children to school without the dread that their family could be separated before the school day ends.
“No child should ever have to choose between learning and living without fear. This law is more than words on paper, it is a shield of dignity for immigrant students. It honors the voices of young people who demanded safety and the families who endured the pain of raids and still stood strong. With AB 49, California tells every student: your education is important, your family belongs, and we will protect you.”
“I want to thank Assemblymember Muratsuchi for having the leadership to author AB 49, which ensures that schools are among the safest places for children,” said Santa Clara County Superintendent Dr. David Toston. “Our county has the largest concentration of immigrant families in California, and AB 49 strengthens the protections schools have to turn away immigration enforcement. I am proud that the Santa Clara County Office of Education was a co-sponsor for this important bill.”
Nearly one in eight California students has at least one parent who is undocumented, with an estimated 133,000 public school students who are undocumented themselves. In January, the Trump Administration reversed a decades-long bipartisan policy that kept schools off limits from immigration enforcement.
Recently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted aggressive raids in Los Angeles County, including staging operations out of Terminal Island. These actions have instilled fear in immigrant communities, resulting in family separations, students missing school, and a loss of trust in public schools as safe havens.
AB 49 is sponsored by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, the Santa Clara County Office of Education, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. The bill is supported by a broad coalition of school districts, immigrant rights advocates, and civil rights organizations across the state.