State government: Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Agency: Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.

Senator Gonzalez's proposal to establish California's ninth state agency would create the Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Agency, centralizing and expanding the state's immigrant and refugee services under a new cabinet-level department. The agency, led by a Governor-appointed secretary subject to Senate confirmation, would house the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs under the direction of a renamed Statewide Director of Immigrant and Refugee Inclusion.

The legislation transfers existing immigrant and refugee programs, along with associated personnel, property, and funding, to the new office while maintaining employees' civil service status and rights. The office would develop strategic plans, coordinate services across state agencies, manage grant programs, and maintain an online clearinghouse of resources. By January 2027, the director must deliver comprehensive reports to the Governor and Legislature on immigrant and refugee programs and present recommendations for improved service coordination.

The bill includes specific privacy protections, limiting interagency data sharing to demographic information and prohibiting the disclosure of personal information outside the agency. Agency resources cannot be used for immigration enforcement activities. A new Immigrant and Refugee Inclusion Fund would be established in the State Treasury to support the office's operations through legislative appropriation. All provisions would sunset on January 1, 2036, requiring legislative review for continuation.