Tom Steyer may be a major billionaire and businessman, but his platform ideas he’s touting are radically far left. So much so that now, even as he’s supposedly the latest Democrat front runner after Eric Swalwell’s campaign was obliterated, Gavin Newsom is staying radio silent.

Steyer, who made a fleeting presidential bid in 2020, has deep pockets. His campaign has spent at least $114 million on ads, according to data from AdImpact. But he is trying to win support for his affordability-focused populist campaign from a liberal base often leery of billionaires. He has faced criticism for his former hedge fund’s investment in a company that now operates immigrant detention centers.

But his financial advantage may prove difficult to overcome.

“Tom’s tough,” Bonta told The Washington Post. “He’s got money to burn, and he’s got a message that a lot of people like.”

Steyer’s Presidential bid was as much of a failure as Eric Swalwell’s was. But now, with Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign imploding over sexual assault and rape allegations, Steyer is seemingly in the drivers seat. 

Which led to him proposing this regarding ICE and DHS.

The true test of a leader is not who they disparage and attack, but who they defend and uplift. Donald Trump attacks and robs the most vulnerable in our society, while protecting and enriching the most powerful.

I’ve made it clear: ICE must be abolished. ICE is acting like a criminal organization, carrying out indiscriminate racial profiling and using violence, intimidation, terrorism, and the murder of Americans to extend Trump’s rule by fear.

It’s not enough for Democrats to simply engage in rhetoric, and “stand” against ICE or Trump. California must build a system that fights fire with fire. To stop this authoritarian takeover, we must counter ICE head-on, and go after both their agents on the streets and their leadership within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

How do we do this? The same way we took on the mob. Put ICE agents and their leadership in jail for their crimes, because that’s how you take on a violent extremist group and win. 

Oh but there’s more. He really went super radical on this proposal. 

ICE agents are invading our cities and murdering our citizens.

CEOs calling for "de-escalation" completely misses the mark. pic.twitter.com/HakJj1uu9h

— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) January 27, 2026

What Tom Steyer is calling for it not “abolishing” or “demolishing” DHS and ICE. He’s essentially saying that any DHS ICE agent will be targeted, arrested, and jailed just for doing their job. Any illegal who has been deported will be brought back – on CA taxpayers dime. 

NEW: CA gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer (D) releases an immigration platform that is radically left of Gov. Newsom. It includes:

– Abolish ICE
– Put ICE agents in jail & “treat them like the mob”.
– Bring those “kidnapped & detained by ICE back home.”
– Give CA AG power to… https://t.co/XqM8eK7Hhf

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) April 14, 2026

Steyer is really telling CA voters that A. They will pony up taxpayer dollars for attorneys and legal fees for illegals, and B. California can not only ignore federal law, but any SCOTUS rulings in favor of DHS/ICE can be ignored as well. 

He spouts this dangerous drivel just as we are seeing more and more reports of American citizens being attacked and murdered by illegals who were let in during the Biden Administration. 

Steyer’s proposals ignore the very real fact that Americans want to be safe. Pandering to illegals who commit additional crimes in this country is the polar opposite of public safety. 

As is pointed out here, Steyer’s new radical stance regarding ICE reeks of pandering to all the Antifa gangs roaming the country. And that may be even too radical for Gavin Newsom. 

Newsom has stayed out of the governor’s race these last few months. He hasn’t endorsed anyone. Now, with Swalwell gone, people are wondering if he will endorse Steyer or someone else in order to ensure Steve Hilton doesn’t win. 

Newsom worries that Tom Steyer, the billionaire investor, would be too all over the place on positions and management to effectively run the state. He worries that Katie Porter, the former congresswoman, would drive business out. He has had a contentious personal relationship with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. He ran against former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa eight years ago, and the strain between them is still there. He has reservations about how former Biden Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, appointed by former Gov. Jerry Brown to be state attorney general after Harris was elected a US senator in 2016, handled that job.

Or, to put it bluntly.

Gavin Newsom's thoughts on the current field of Dem candidates for governor:

Steyer: incoherent, mismanagement worries
Porter: would trigger capital flight
Mahan: not a fan of his frequent criticism
Villaraigosa: still sore over 2018 race
Becerra: unsatisfactory job as AG https://t.co/5bD5O3ykVq pic.twitter.com/5vLGFm5TiV

— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) April 15, 2026

Newsom’s chosen candidate, Alex Padilla, decided not to run. So Gavin’s silence on this does speak volumes. 

Keep in mind, what Tom Steyer is proposing is radical and skates on the side of insurrection. He’s banking on California voters ignoring that he was going to ensure “residents” not actual citizens are taken care of, and that they won’t know that state attorneys general and local district attorneys have ZERO authority over federal agents. 

Tom Steyer went full radical with this ICE proposal, which you can read in its entirety here. 

Is that too radical for California voters and Gavin Newsom? We shall see. 

Feature Photo Credit: Tom Steyer at candidate forum in 2020 by Gage Skidmore via Flickr, cropped and modified