SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HOSTS DISCUSSION ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT CHANGES AND THEIR IMPACT ON HAWAIʻI

HONOLULU – This upcoming Monday afternoon, December 8, the Hawaiʻi State Senate Committee on Judiciary, chaired by Senator Karl Rhoads (Senate District 13 – Dowsett Highlands, Puʻunui, Nuʻuanu, Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Punchbowl, Pālama, Liliha, Iwilei, Chinatown, and Downtown) will hold an informational briefing to hear about the impact and legality of new federal immigration enforcements efforts as they relate to Hawaiʻi.  This will be the final briefing in a six-part series of informational briefings on the rule of law in relation to the recent actions of the Trump Administration and how its decisions are impacting Hawaiʻi. 

Among other issues, the briefing will explore enforcement actions that are occurring in the State, the disregard of due process requirements and standard court or legal practices, the questioning and detention of individuals who are U.S. citizens or whose legal immigration status is clear, the suppression of free speech and the media, and pressure on state and local law enforcement to collaborate with federal immigration actions.

View the Hearing Notice HERE

“We’ve seen a rise in the use of troubling tactics by federal immigration officials.  Everyone supports deporting criminals who have committed violent crimes.  What is concerning is the harassment of American citizens, legal immigrants and those who have lived in the United States for decades holding legitimate jobs, often doing critical work like harvesting farm products,” said Senator Karl Rhoads. “The Judiciary Committee seeks to gather information on whether these new tactics are consistent with constitutional protections and long-standing legal norms. Our goal is to ensure the rights of Hawaiʻi residents are respected and that none of us have to worry about being abducted by unidentified masked men while going about our daily business.”

AGENDA

1.     Welcome and Introductions (5 minutes)

2.     Overview from Dr. Amy Agbayani, Emeritus Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Diversity at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Co-Chair of Hawai'i Friends of Civil Rights (5 minutes)

3.      Presentations (15 minutes each)

a.  Bettina Mok, Executive Director, The Legal Clinic (TLC)

b.   Pilar Kam and Stephanie Haro Sevilla, Postgraduate Fellows and Immigrant Advocates, Refugee & Immigration Law Clinic (RILC) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law

c.   Liza Ryan Gill, Co-Coordinator, Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights (HICIR)

4.    Closing Remarks from Dr. Amy Agbayani (10 minutes)

5.    Questions from the Committee (5 minutes per Member)

WHEN/WHERE 

2:00 PM, Monday, December 8, 2025  

Conference Room 016 & Videoconference  

Hawaiʻi State Capitol  

415 South Beretania Street  

Honolulu, HI 96813

ACCESSIBILITY: For accommodations, please contact the committee clerk at (808) 587-7211 or email JDCCommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.

Photo ID is required for entry into the State Capitol building. Limited paid public parking is available at the Capitol; entrance is via Miller Street off Punchbowl. Additional public parking is available in Lot V (Vineyard Garage on Punchbowl); Lot G (Kalanimoku Building on Beretania & Punchbowl); and Lot L (Kinau Hale Building on Punchbowl).

This informational briefing is the sixth in a series of informational briefings on the rule of law in relation to the recent actions of the Trump Administration and how its decisions are impacting Hawaiʻi.

Information about past and upcoming briefings can be accessed on the Senate Judiciary Committee webpage HERE