Fact Check: Did Newsom say it's his duty to represent illegal immigrants who elected him?

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: Amid the debate surrounding California’s disagreements with the Trump administration over the treatment of immigrant communities, a rumor is circulating online claiming that the state’s Governor Gavin Newsom said that it's his duty to represent illegals who elected him. The claim has sparked criticism of Newsom and called for a fact-check.

Claim: Gavin Newsom said it's his duty to represent illegals

The viral X post that appeared on X has claimed that Governor Newsom said it's his duty to represent the illegal immigrants who elected him. 

"I have a responsibility to serve the people who voted for me when they weren't legally allowed to do so," a defiant Newsom told reporters.

"This is America. A land of freedom and liberty that is ruled by laws. And when those laws are broken, it's my job to stand up and represent the people who broke those laws. That's where my loyalty lies. These hardworking criminals and their families want to stay in this country illegally, and it's my duty to honor that." 

The post has garnered a hundred thousand views as of this writing, with comments indicating that many believe the claim to be true, while others remain skeptical.

Fact Check: The claim originated as satire

The claim, however, is false, as there is no evidence of the governor making such a remark. There are no official statements, press releases, or social media posts from Newsom that match the remark made in the post.

If Newsom had really made such a post, it would not go unreported by prominent news media outlets, but a search on Google and Bing for the claim yielded no relevant news media reports.

Additionally, the claim originated from a popular parody account on X called ‘The Babylon Bee,’ which describes itself in the bio as ‘Fake News.’

Gavin Newsom vetoes immigrant food assistance bill

The claim surfaced after Newsom vetoed legislation that would have changed how the state determines financial eligibility for some immigrants receiving state-funded food assistance. 

Assembly Bill 1049, vetoed on September 18 and authored by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez, would have changed sponsor deeming rules under the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

"What we see in practice is that this leads to immigrants with the sponsor feeling intimidated, feeling unsure of whether to share that information when they are facing direct need," said Benyamin Chao, supervising policy manager for the California Immigrant Policy Center. 

"This idea that food is a human right," Chao said. "And regardless of where you were born, regardless of your immigration status, you deserve food assistance in your time of need."