California on Dec. 3 launched an online portal that would allow the public to upload videos, photographs, and other information about suspected illegal activities by federal agents during immigration enforcement.

According to a social media post from California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office, the platform is designed to “assist members of the public in sharing information” so that the state’s Department of Justice can “create a record of potential unlawful conduct by federal agents, and inform possible legal actions the state may take to protect Californians’ rights.”

A statement from Newsom’s office said that federal agents have broad authority to enforce federal laws, including federal immigration laws but that they must do so lawfully.

“We’re not going to stand by while anyone—including federal agents—abuses their authority in California,” Newsom said. “This new portal gives Californians an easy and safe way to speak up, share what they see, and help us hold people accountable. No one is above the law.”

Examples of potentially unlawful activity by federal law enforcement agents include use of excessive force, unlawful searches or arrests, wrongful detentions, interference with voting, and other civil rights violations, the website for the portal states.

Federal immigration personnel have been active in widespread sweeps in Los Angeles and other major cities.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said its personnel’s conduct is compliant with legal mandates to remove those unlawfully present in the country.

Other states run by Democrats have taken action similar to California’s.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker in September urged citizens to record footage of federal immigration activities and post it online. He also established the Illinois Accountability Commission to collect evidence and public accounts of federal agents’ conduct during immigration enforcement.

DHS said the Chicago operation, launched on Sept. 8, was aimed at removing individuals with serious criminal records and longstanding deportation orders.

“This operation will target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Chicago,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said at the time, alleging that Chicago had become a “magnet for criminals” because of sanctuary city policies.

New York Attorney General Letitia James asked residents in October to submit videos, photos, and further documentation of federal immigration actions for investigation by her department.

Citizens regularly use smartphones to record federal immigration enforcement movements and document their operations, and the Trump administration has said that such actions have increased assaults on federal enforcement officers. In October, both Apple and Alphabet removed apps designed to monitor immigration enforcement officials from their app stores.

The California portal goes live amid a political battle between the state and federal authorities over immigration enforcement. The state’s sanctuary policies, in Senate Bill 54, hinder local law enforcement from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); they prohibit inquiries into immigration status and honoring federal detainers for transfers.

A 2025 lawsuit, filed by civil rights groups such as the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, claims that ICE operations in Los Angeles infringed on the Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights of thousands. The lawsuit was filed shortly after the federal government sued Los Angeles over its sanctuary city laws.

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously enacted an ordinance in November 2024 preventing city assets and staff from assisting federal immigration actions.

In San Diego, the county’s Board of Supervisors approved a policy in December 2024 that prohibits the use of county resources in support of ICE.

Reuters contributed to this report.