California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Senate Bill 509 — a bipartisan measure that sought to help state law enforcement recognise and respond to transnational repression, or the intimidation of political dissidents by foreign governments on US soil.
The bill, which had passed unanimously through both houses of the California legislature, would have required the Office of Emergency Services to create training for police officers on detecting and countering such threats. In his veto statement, Newsom said existing state and federal programs already addressed the issue, and that further legislation could create administrative overlap and reduce flexibility in responding to threats.
The decision has reignited tensions between Sikh and Hindu communities in California. Sikh groups, who had strongly backed the bill in response to reported Indian government intimidation of Sikh activists, expressed deep disappointment. The Sikh Coalition said it was “profoundly disappointed” by the veto, calling it a setback in efforts to combat “Indian transnational repression” in the state.
“Hundreds of Sikhs from across California sent emails, spoke at hearings, and called the governor’s office,” the organisation said. “Members of the legislature and state agencies are now more educated about the persistent threat of Indian transnational repression, even if this bill did not pass.” The coalition also accused the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) of spreading “disinformation” about the bill’s intent and claimed that “a vocal minority with outsized influence” had worked to derail it.
Hindu organisations, by contrast, hailed the veto as a victory against what they viewed as a politically motivated bill unfairly targeting India. HAF’s executive director Suhag Shukla wrote on X that Newsom’s decision was “a rejection of bad-faith fearmongering,” thanking him for “recognising the divisive nature of SB 509.”
Assemblymember Jasmeet Kaur Bains, one of the bill’s sponsors, said on social media that she was “disappointed but undeterred,” adding that the bill aimed to protect “Californians of all backgrounds from foreign government harassment.”
While the Sikh Coalition said it would continue engaging with the California Office of Emergency Services — which recently introduced its own police training on transnational repression — the episode underscores growing friction within the Indian diaspora.
The proposed law had become a flashpoint between Sikh and Hindu Americans, reflecting broader geopolitical tensions following allegations that Indian agents were involved in attempts to silence Sikh activists abroad.
