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Minorities targeted: American Hindus on transnational repression bill
Community groups warn of vague language and dangerous implications for Indian Americans and other minorities.
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Pranavi Sharma - Fri, 11, Apr 2025
- 04:05 EDT
- 324
Introduced by Senator Anna Caballero, SB509 proposes the creation of a training program by the Office of Emergency Services to help law enforcement recognize and respond to acts of transnational repression. / HAF
The civil liberties group Americans for Hindus (A4H) has strongly opposed SB 509 – a transnational repression bill – warning that its vague framing and lack of transparency will lead to the unfair targeting of minority communities, including Hindus and Indian Americans.
Introduced by Senator Anna Caballero, SB509 proposes the creation of a training program by the Office of Emergency Services to help law enforcement recognize and respond to acts of transnational repression. The bill defines such repression as threats, surveillance, online harassment, and physical violence carried out by foreign governments or their proxies against individuals or communities living in exile.
But for A4H, the bill’s language is overly broad and open to dangerous interpretation.
“Legislators should make an effort to check with various communities and build trust and intentions about the new law before presenting such a controversial bill and hurriedly pushing it through the system,” A4H said in a statement, after the California Senate Governmental Organization Committee approved the bill in a majority vote.
“There is fear in minority communities, including the Indian and Hindu community, about its implementation and unfair targeting of minorities,” the group stated. “This bill intends to train an already overburdened police force without clarity of how to identify such individuals, entities, or organizations, which will create confusion, and minorities will be unfairly targeted. This will also disturb community harmony by creating disturbance in the ethnic groups.”
A4H further pointed out that the bill duplicates existing federal efforts, such as the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), and that implementing it would cost millions if not billions of taxpayer dollars to build surveillance infrastructure that already exists at the federal level.
In a testimony before the committee, A4H’s vice president of communications, Geeta Sikand, warned of the real-world consequences such policies could have on vulnerable groups.
“My uncle was shot dead in 1984 by the same supporters who support the ideology of this bill,” she said tearfully, referring to supporters of the Khalistan movement, which some fear could be indirectly protected under SB 509’s definitions. “This testimony highlights how such training may end up targeting minorities, and the results can be deadly.”
A4H also expressed concern about who gets to provide the training. “California police officers should receive training on Hindu perspectives and issues from reputable organizations specializing in Hindu culture,” the group urged. “A discrepancy in training providers could have dire consequences on specific ethnic/religious groups, such as the political weaponization against the Hindu community.”
“This bill adds enormous trauma and fear to the Hindu and Indian community,” A4H stated. “At a time when our temples and cultural centers are under attack, the last thing our communities need is another reason to feel watched, misjudged, and unsafe.”
‘Indian Americans could be mischaracterized’
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) echoed those concerns, especially regarding the possible mislabeling of Indian Americans who oppose certain ideologies.
In a statement on X, HAF said, “California State Senate Governmental Organization committee approved the highly controversial SB 509, which could label Indian Americans opposing the violent Khalistan movement as ‘digital’ ‘transnational repression.’”
“We will continue to oppose the bill in the Senate and throughout the legislative process,” HAF said.
Breaking | California State Senate Governmental Organization committee approved the highly controversial SB 509, which could label Indian Americans opposing the violent Khalistan movement as “digital” “transnational repression.”
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) April 8, 2025
But not before hearing powerful testimony from… pic.twitter.com/muDoBP39d3
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