Conservative influencer and YouTuber Nick Shirley called out a proposed California bill on Monday that he argued would “criminalize investigative journalism,” including his viral efforts to expose fraud in the state.
“The enemy truly is within,” Shirley said. “When our politicians would rather protect fraudsters and illegal migrants, it’s time for us to stand up or face mass oppression from the traitors who ‘rule’ over us,” he said.
The legislation, which one Republican lawmaker dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” is aimed at boosting privacy for immigrant services providers. Authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D), the measure would outlaw sharing the photo or personal data of a provider on the internet for harassment or violent purposes.
It would mirror a similar program for domestic violence survivors.
“Individuals who provide immigrant support services including legal aid, humanitarian relief, case management, and advocacy are facing targeted harassment. This is not hypothetical,” Bonta said at a April 7 hearing.
Such protections against incidents of doxing and death threats are especially needed under the Trump administration, she added.
“These threats have risen sharply in 2025 and are expected to continue due to the current political climate,” Bonta said.
Under the bill, a provider could bring a claim in court seeking up to at least $4,000 in damages from those who violated the proposed law.
There would also be criminal penalties. Violators would face up to a $10,000 fine or up to one year in county jail. If sharing the information results in bodily harm, the penalties would escalate to up to a $50,000 fine and felony imprisonment.
Assemblymember Carl DeMaio (R) suggested that such immigrant services providers could include daycare centers like the ones Shirley investigated in Minnesota for fraud, which primarily serve Somali immigrants.
That would put a damper on investigative journalism, DeMaio claimed.
“California Democrats are trying to intimidate citizen watchdog journalists and protect waste and fraud happening in far-Left-wing NGOs,” he said. “Instead of fixing the fraud problems being uncovered, Sacramento politicians are trying to shut down the people exposing them.”
Bonta pushed back on that characterization at the hearing and insisted that providers would have to first show evidence that they were being threatened. A journalist asking questions wouldn’t count, she added.
The bill is now awaiting its next committee hearing after Democrats voted to advance the bill. California lawmakers have until end of August to send it to the governor.
