On 13 Oct, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed bill SB-509 that would have trained local police on how to recognize and intervene when a foreign government appears to threaten members of its diaspora who express political dissent against their home countries. Known as 'transnational repression', these intimidation tactics by foreign governments range from online harassment and digital surveillance to physical assault and extrajudicial killings. US-based human rights organization Freedom House researchers have found that transnational repression is becoming increasingly common worldwide. The Sikh diaspora has found itself in the crosshairs of transnational repression by the Indian government, as several outspoken Sikh activists in the US and Canada have been targeted, surveilled, and in some cases, killed in attacks that activists say were orchestrated by individuals with links to the Indian government. Though SB-509 did not name specific countries, debate around the bill has inflamed political divisions among South Asian groups in California. Three Sikh organizations, alongside progressive Indian and Kashmiri advocacy groups, stressed that the bill would protect vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities in the state. The most vocal criticism came from two influential Hindu advocacy organizations: Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and the Coalition of Hindus of North America who argued that Hindus’ political speech would be criminalized should it align with the Indian government, including criticisms of the Khalistan movement. HAF had also appealed to pro-Israel and Jewish groups to join the opposition to the bill. Newsom said he believes the governor’s administration and federal agencies are best positioned to address transnational repression and codifying the definitions presented in the bill would hamper the state’s ability to respond. However, Newsom's track record on contentious issues leaves much to be desired. He had earlier vetoed the SB-403 Caste Discrimination Protections and has remained silent on the 1984 Sikh Genocide in India. Meanwhile in UK, a 49-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman have been arrested in connection with the rape of a Sikh woman in Oldsbury, West Midlands in September 2025. The police have earlier described the attack as racially motivated (earlier coverage).
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