The California Values Act, signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown, went into effect on Jan. 1, 2018, to protect immigrant families. Since then, the policy has been challenged on numerous occasions by President Donald Trump, with the administration threatening to pull federal funding from the state.

Now, even some Democratic leaders are distancing themselves on immigration protection issues. Gov. Gavin Newsom said he planned to veto an expansion of the California Values Act under Democratic-led bill AB 15, in line with his record of denying previous attempts to expand the sanctuary policy. The bill would prohibit prison officials from cooperating with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding information about incarcerated people or their release dates.

Other California Democrats have remained quieter on immigration protection under the new Trump administration. For immigrant rights advocates, this raises the alarm about how the politicians who once championed such policies are taking a backseat. With few options, advocates are addressing politicians’ shortcomings in their communities.