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Conservative YouTuber and citizen journalist Nick Shirley filed a federal lawsuit against top California officials in Sacramento, seeking to block a controversial law that many have labeled the “Stop Nick Shirley Act.”
The legal challenge targets Assembly Bill 2624, a measure signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.)
that expands California’s existing Safe at Home program. Shirley — represented by San Diego attorney John W. Howard👇
and the conservative legal watchdog group America First Legal — argues that the legislation impermissibly restricts First Amendment rights by exposing independent journalists to civil liability for publishing truthful, publicly sourced information while investigating government-funded immigration support providers. The legal dispute centers on AB 2624, authored by Democrat Assemblymember Mia Bonta, which allows individuals who provide immigration-related services — ranging from legal counseling and healthcare to translation and referrals — to participate in an “address-confidentiality program.” Under the statute’s provisions, covered individuals or organizations can issue formal written demands ordering the removal or prohibiting the online distribution of their personal or business information if published with specified intent or without consent. The lawsuit names California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber👇 as defendants, contending that the law acts as an unconstitutional content- and viewpoint-based restriction that chills legitimate investigative journalism into potential fraud within taxpayer-funded non-profits. The legislative battle surrounding AB 2624 intensified further after Shirley brought his undercover reporting style to California earlier in the year. Shirley had previously gained national prominence for his successful video investigations into fraud within Somali-run daycare facilities in Minnesota. Following his arrival in California to investigate similar state-funded operations, state officials condemned the presence of what they described as “external provocateurs,” culminating in Assemblymember Bonta introducing the privacy measure. Though left-wing supporters and the bill’s author claim that the measure is intended to “protect service providers from harassment and threats of violence,” Republican state lawmakers quickly rallied behind Shirley, publicly dubbing the legislation the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” and joining him in rallies at the state Capitol. In the federal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, Shirley’s legal team asserts that the broad language of the law leaves journalists in an untenable position. The lawsuit also argues that since a simple written demand can trigger legal exposure or civil actions for money damages, reporters are forced to censor their work regarding public oversight. Additionally, the suit argues that the statute suffers from “constitutional overbreadth, vague standards and ex post facto issues” concerning previously published videos that remain online. Seeking both preliminary and permanent injunctions, the lawsuit asks the court to strike down provisions of the act before its scheduled operative date, declaring that exposing fraud in public programs is a core democratic function protected by the Constitution.
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